


August AU Challenge Ficlets

by OhNoMyBreadsticks



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Family Fluff, Ficlet Collection, Fluff, Gen, Humor, In the interest of not clogging the tags I haven't tagged all 31, Light Angst, M/M, Multi, Please read chapter one for pairings and characters, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 12:06:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 34
Words: 24,293
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20506742
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OhNoMyBreadsticks/pseuds/OhNoMyBreadsticks
Summary: A collection of 33 ficlets - each one a different AU, each one a different pairing or character! Mainly fluff and falling in love, with a dash of light angst and my attempt at humor thrown in for good measure.Chapter one contains an index of all pairings and characters





	1. Index

**Author's Note:**

> These were originally a collection of ficlets I wrote over on my tumblr during the month of August 2019. My wonderful friend [thislittlekumquat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thislittlekumquat/pseuds/thislittlekumquat) wrote up a list of 31 AUs for me to work with, and I randomized a list of rarepairs, personal favorites, and requests to be randomly matched with those AUs!
> 
> Platonic relationships are denoted with an & while pairings are shown with a /   
Any warnings will be noted in the author's note at the beginning of the chapter
> 
> .5 denotes this ficlet is a continuation of the previous AU, a bit of bonus content as it were

1\. RK Siblings Farmer’s Market AU

1.5 Reed900 Farmer’s Market AU

2\. North & Nines National Park Rangers AU

3\. Leo & Markus Wild West AU

4\. Conniel Reverse AU

5\. Kamski/Clyde Bakery AU

6\. Simarkus Alien Encounter/Abduction AU

7\. Echo/Ripple Merpeople AU

8\. Hankvin Star Wars AU

9\. Leo/RK900 Surfer Bros AU

10\. Josh/North Les Mis AU

11\. Hankcon Dog Walker + Dog Owner Meetcute AU

11.5 Reed900 Dog Walker AU

12\. Chloe/Kamski Cinderella AU

13\. Connor & Hank Arthurian Legends AU

14\. Tina/Polly Starving Artist AU

15\. Allen60 Pilots/Flight Attendants AU

16\. Tina/Stacy Librarian + Patron Meetcute AU

17\. Reed900 LotR/Silmarillion AU

18\. Simon/North Angel and Demon AU

19\. Luthara Atlantis (Movie/Legend) AU

20\. Polycho BE9/Elder Gods AU

21\. Jerralph Movie Stars AU

22\. Gavin & Kamski Pirate AU

23\. Kara & Alice Harry Potter AU

24\. Gavin & Tina Victorian England (Steampunk) AU

25\. Chloe/North Beauty and the Beast AU

26\. North/Kara Grad Students AU

27\. Simon/Josh Shipwrecked on a Deserted Island AU

28\. Convin Sherlock Holmes AU

29\. Markus/Connor Vampire AU

30\. North/Connor Vegan Restaurant Owner + Hapless Customer Meetcute AU

31\. Gavin/Tina Time Travel AU


	2. RK siblings farmers market AU

‘Chaotic’ was a fitting word to describe the Stern family farm on a good day. On market day, well, it was probably overly kind to call it simply chaotic. The three brothers were supposed to be loading all of their produce into the truck to drive about an hour or so to the local farmer’s market, but instead…Niles was loading crates into the truck while Connor and Clyde screamed at each other in the storage barn. While this occurrence was not unusual (the twins were always at each other’s throats), it was in fact, incredibly inconvenient. Niles knew that if they didn’t have the truck loaded in the next half hour, they would be late and miss out on the first rush of customers.

“Well if _you _weren’t so _clumsy _with the boxes–”

“Well maybe you shouldn’t have worn your best shirt just to impress your little market crush!!”

That last snipe caused Connor to let out an indignant yelp and storm out of the barn, boxes piled high with corn clutched in his arms. He _was _wearing a very nice shirt, Niles noticed, which was now unfortunately smeared with dirt and dust across the front. He made no comment as Connor slammed the boxes down, simply picked up the fallen ears of corn and returned them to their proper place. He also made no comment as Clyde stomped out of the barn carrying specifically One More Box than what Connor had just delivered. It was best not to get involved, no matter how much some big brother sense might have improved the situation.

The ride to town was spent in mostly antagonistic silence, as Connor tried to subtly clean off his shirt, and Clyde made little snide huffs whenever he failed. The tension eased ever-so-slightly as Niles made the executive decision to stop by the local coffee shop drive through and get everyone something nice and warm to drink. Caffeine was never a bad idea, in his opinion. And they weren’t even _that _late to the market, arriving at their designated spot and setting up the little awning and the tables without too much fuss at all. Niles had even remembered to bring the cinderblocks to weigh down the awning this time, so they wouldn’t have another ‘runaway awning nearly decapitates customer’ situation on their hands again.

Connor was strapping on the cash apron to start counting up the bills they kept for change, a sour expression still darkening his face, when Clyde reached out and snatched it away. “What? Don’t look at me like that.” He grumbled, “I don’t mind handling the cash for the first wave. And Niles is the best salesman we’ve got.” Connor’s face morphed from annoyance to confusion and then straight into a relieved smile. He opened his mouth to say something (probably thank you) but Clyde cut him off with a wave of the hand. “Go on, go see your little crush. You got all dressed up and shit, shame to waste it.” He said, even managing a begrudging smile.

As Connor practically skipped off in the direction of the local beekeeper’s stall, Niles sidled over to Clyde. “You can be a good brother sometimes.” He teased, a tiny smile curling up the corners of his mouth, “It’s why I’m not going to tell Con you forgot to lock up the barn when we left.” Watching all the color drain out of Clyde’s face was a worthy revenge for the morning’s headache. It was made all the sweeter because Niles had seen Connor roll his eyes fondly and lock the barn himself before they left. 


	3. Reed900 Farmer's Market AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of the previous AU for the lovely [Dana](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dana/pseuds/Dana)

Later, when the sun has properly risen to its zenith and the twins have properly made up, Niles found time to slip away. Neither of them paid him much attention, too focused on what the most efficient way to bag tomatoes was. Niles took his time strolling through the market, finishing the last of his coffee as he went. There were dogs barking, children yelling (happily and unhappily), and a general bustle of people going about their business. It’s the sort of chaos that he usually avoided by staying back in the stall, dodging the constant threat of getting bumped into by some stranger or their stroller. However, there were some things worth enduring the crush of humanity for.**  
**

Things like…a cascade of colorful flowers arranged in various mismatched containers, covering every available surface of the vendor’s table and spilling out into buckets on the ground. Niles waited patiently as a group of women cooed over the blooms, each coming away with a bouquet and a smile. He wasn’t here for the flowers though, oh no. He was here for the small, grumpy looking man who was currently trying to wrangle a bundle of sunflowers back into their proper shape. Niles stepped up to the table and watched the man work, not wanting to interrupt. When he finally noticed, he startled a bit, eyes going wide and a slight pink flush spreading across his cheeks.

“Shit, you scared me!” He chuckled, “The usual?” 

Niles nodded, unable to stop the slightly goofy smile that always spread across his face when he got to talk to Gavin. “Yes, the usual please.” He confirmed. Gavin busied himself with preparing a bouquet, giving Niles a running commentary on the freshness and longevity of the flowers he was adding as he went. Honestly Niles was barely listening to the words, focused mainly on how handsome Gavin looked when he was concentrating. It was very unfair, honestly, how handsome Gavin looked in general. Satisfied with his bouquet, he turned back to the table and wrapped it up, presenting it to Niles with a wink that wasn’t quite one eye but not quite two either.

“Here ya go, one fanciful bouquet.” Gavin said, handing it over and accepting Niles’ cash with practiced ease, “Man, whoever’s gettin these every week is a lucky bastard.” Niles could only smile wider, replying “I definitely think he is.” It was impossible to miss the way Gavin’s face fell somewhat at the answer, but Niles didn’t let him say anything in response, hurrying to add “I think maybe he uses them as an excuse to talk to the cute florist, but…well, the flowers are a nice bonus.” Gavin’s face was now well and truly red, but he was also beaming at Niles, all the other customers and flowers seemingly forgotten.

“Well maybe this guy should stop by himself next week, I’ll have some flowers ready for him on the house.”


	4. North & Nines National Park Rangers AU

The forest was incredibly beautiful, North thought to herself. Part of why she had become a ranger was because she had always loved being out in nature. A job that not only encouraged but required being outside most of the time? Perfect. Not just that, but being out in the forest was so peaceful - no annoying people to deal with, no noise except for the rustle of the greenery and the occasional chirp of a bird…

“God fucking _dammit_!! This tent is BULLSHIT!” 

Well, and the screams of one fellow ranger Richard Stern, but that was to be expected. North snickered to herself as she carefully added another piece of kindling to the fire. “Having trouble over there, bud?” She teased, not bothering to look over her shoulder to see the mess unfolding behind her. She could picture it in her mind’s eye clear enough - the poles scattered about and the tent itself a crumpled heap in the center. 

“I swear to god, North, if we have to sleep on piles of leaves tonight I’m never going to forgive you!” Richard griped, “I can’t believe you took the new tent out and not the one we’ve been using for the last three trips.” North had, in fact, picked this one on purpose. Partly because it was a bit bigger and she was tired of getting kicked when Richard rolled around in his sleeping bag. But it was also partly because she thought it would be funny to watch him try and set it up. She and Richard had become fast friends over the past year of working together, which meant she had to give him extra shit. And this new tent had seemed particularly complicated to set up.

North let him struggle for a few more minutes as the fire worked its way to a stable burn, then turned with her hands on her hips to see just how bad it was. A snort escaped before she could stop it, mouth twisting into a grin. Richard was inside the half-erected tent, his frantic movements making it look like some creeping beast from a horror film. He also wasn’t even doing it right, since North could see the attachments for the poles on the outside of the tent. 

“Get out of there you big idiot, that’s not how you do it.” She laughed, “I’ll give you a hand or we really will end up sleeping on a bunch of leaves.” Richard emerged from the tent with a haughty look of distaste on his face, insisting “I was just…observing. Getting into the right mindset.” North extended a hand and helped pull him to his feet, letting him keep what little dignity he had left by simply replying “Sure you were, bud.”

With two sets of hands, the tent eventually took shape, and they were able to turn their attention to cooking dinner over the fire. Sitting back in her camping chair, North let out a satisfied sigh. “See Rich? Perfect, nothing to worry about.” She said, shooting him a grin. Richard huffed softly before admitting “It _is _a nice tent. I’ll give you that.” A comfortable silence descended on the both of them, the sounds of the forest filtering in softly. It was only broken much later by Richard asking “So you packed the sleeping bags, right? Cause you made me carry the tent.” 

Oh. Maybe being out in nature _wasn’t _such a good time.


	5. Leo & Markus Wild West AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw I suppose for a brief joke about violence/mutilation

It’s been a long ride, but Markus can finally see the glow of the campfire coming up on him from out in the distance. Dusk is just turning into night, and the stars are innumerable above his head. He doesn’t look up, too focused on making it to that safe haven just ahead. There is a single man sitting there at the edge of the fire, his tent pitched and his horse already set out to graze. Markus dismounts in silence and walks into the light, the weight of the badge in his pocket a heavy reminder. He doesn’t look down, too focused on catching that first slow smile that spreads across Leo’s face as he looks up and sees his brother.**  
**

“You made it.” Leo says, voice rough but full of that characteristic Manfred warmth. Markus nods and smiles in return, sitting down close enough to clap a hand on his shoulder as a greeting. “‘Course I did. Said I would, didn’t I?” He replies, and he watches a lifetime of letdowns and broken promises flash across Leo’s face like rain across a parched stretch of land. Just as quickly as it appears, it’s gone again, leaving a slightly more confident smile. “I suppose you did.” he says, poking at the fire with a long branch, making sure the logs are settling properly.

“You make sure you weren’t followed?” Markus asks, and it’s almost become a ritual for them, a conversation they have to sort of lift the weight off the rest of the evening. Leo chuckles, replying “Do I look like I want to end up a dead man? If my gang finds us out here we’d both be, and I don’t much care for that idea.” A pause, as Markus nods, then Leo asks the answering question “You lose your deputies on the way?” Now it’s Markus’ turn to chuckle fondly, saying “If I hadn’t, we’d both be in jail by now.” Leo snorts at that, retorting “Jail, psh. God, you New Jericho Sheriffs are all soft.”

“I suppose we are.” Markus teases, “Although I still wouldn’t trust North not to just cut off your balls to teach you a lesson.” Leo, who has had his fair share of close calls with Markus’ right hand in the court of law (as much of a court as it could be called out here), burst out into a harsh bark of laughter. “I wouldn’t put it past her!” He admits, “And I can’t say I probably don’t deserve it.” Markus doesn’t comment on that, doesn’t ruin the mood by reminding Leo what their father would have said about either of them ‘deserving’ their lot in life. He simply laughs along with the joke, and allows himself to fall into their usual easy rhythm.

They tell each other stories of their latest heists, their most daring arrests, and, more importantly, the quiet moments where they both have caught their breath. It’s hard to live out here, and it’s even harder to do it alone. Neither of them really are, but what’s a Manfred without his brother by his side? Life, unfortunately, had decided to find the answer to that question. But for now they’re here, and the fire is warm and the air around them is still with the sounds of the night. They’ll stay here until the sun begins to paint the sky with pinks and oranges. Then Markus will pin his badge to his shirt, and Leo will tip his hat, and they’ll go their separate ways, knowing that as long as they both draw breath, they’ll find a way back to nights like this.


	6. Conniel Reverse AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for descriptions of depression, nightmares, and implied attempted suicide

After the revolution, Daniel is all Connor has left. He’s too afraid to trust again, too plagued by night terrors already to ever want to risk giving his processors more ammunition to use against him. Daniel remembers the day the evidence locked androids were reclaimed and set free, had gone to do it himself. A penance, almost, to free the ones he had set in bondage during his time as the deviant hunter. He had expected the fear, expected the hatred, the way the androids spat and cursed as they were helped away by the technicians. But Connor…Connor had clung to him, voice modulator cracked and wavering as he sobbed brokenly. **  
**

“Please, please don’t leave me.” Connor had begged, his working hang clutching at Daniel’s jacket, his once beautiful face buried in the grey jacket Daniel still hadn’t replaced. And Daniel, well, what could he say but “I won’t.”? The other androids in the locker, they had people to go back to, and lives to reclaim. But Connor had nothing. They had met on the night of his lowest point, and life wasn’t exactly looking up for this ex-household model. What was a caretaker android without someone to care for, after all? Free will be damned, every living being needed a purpose in life.

So Daniel let Connor into his life, as meager and utilitarian as it was. They had an apartment together, paid for by his shiny new DPD badge salary, and they had all the time in the world to figure out how to live now that they were free. Except…were they really free? Daniel wondered about that, on the days when he was haunted by the chill of the Zen Garden biting into his code, making him relive the terror of the encroaching red wall. If he let his mind wander, he could still hear the soft chuckle of Elijah Kamski’s AI, the deft snap of the roses as they were plucked from the trellis. He had only narrowly escaped that fate.

And yet the deviant hunter felt as though his burdens were nothing compared with the weight Connor had to shoulder. He saw it in the way those soft hands shook when they cleared away the plates from dinner, and the long pause he had to take before he said goodbye to Daniel every day when he left for work. Every day, Daniel promised Connor he’d be back, and, well, he hasn’t broken that promise yet. It’s not much, but it’s all he can do to combat the insidious fear that creeps through Connor’s core.

On nights when Connor can’t go into stasis, Daniel holds him close and kisses away the tears that roll down those pretty cheeks. He knows what Connor is re-living, because he was there too. His first case, the deviant household android who had taken his owner hostage. An old man, slumped and haggard against Connor’s leg, no fight left in him. The revolver, shaky and unsteady as Connor had point it wildly at the approaching SWAT team. The desperation in those brown eyes as he pleaded that they just be left alone, that “He _needs _me! I have to take care of him!” Daniel remembers calculating the answer with the highest chance of success, and wonders now if the truth had been the kindest choice to pick. If the mission had been worth the way Connor looked when he sobbed, body curled close to Daniel.

“He’ll only try again, Connor. You can’t keep him alive on your own.”


	7. Kamski/Clyde Bakery AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Written for my dear friend [Minas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MinasTheFaun/pseuds/MinasTheFaun) about the Kamski/Connor60 pairing from his fic!

“Excuse me, do you serve any vegan options on your menu?” **  
**

The question was so out of the blue that Clyde almost didn’t know how to respond. He was left staring in outright confusion and disbelief at the man across the counter from him. Really, he looked like something out of a parody video for annoying vegans. Man bun? Check. Hipster glasses? Check. Scruffy beard? Check. Incredibly piercing blue eyes…? Okay wait, Clyde was getting distracted, he needed to refocus. The stranger was simply standing there, waiting patiently, not seeming to understand how stupid his question was.

“Sir, this is a French Patisserie. Do you think we have any vegan options?” Clyde asked, one eyebrow rising slowly but surely upwards. Shrugging, the man replied cheerfully “You might. It’s an honest question.” Confusion slowly starting to morph into annoyance at how stupid this customer was, Clyde huffed and straightened his impeccably white apron, insisting “This is an _authentic _establishment, we make all of our pastries with the finest quality ingredients, including milk, butter, cream, and eggs.” The implied ‘obviously’ hung in the air between them, but seemed to do nothing to deter this particular customer’s enthusiasm. “If you want vegan food, I believe there’s an establishment for that down the road. Nourishing Nibbles or something.” Clyde added primly. He didn’t think very highly of any place with a name like that.

“Can I get a black coffee then?” The man asked, totally ignoring most of what had just been said “No cream, of course.” Clyde’s one eyebrow was now joined by its partner to complete the incredulous look he was giving this customer. Really, it wasn’t very professional, but Clyde mostly relied on the quality of his baking to bring people into the store, not his shining customer service personality. The transaction went smoothly at least, this guy had cash to pay for his single black coffee, which he took to a table in the corner and sipped away at as he did something on his laptop. Clyde, meanwhile, returned to his work, serving _normal, intelligent_ customers who came in to buy his quite nice pastries.

Clyde expected to never see the man again, and yet he seemed intent on making this particular French Patisserie his new favorite spot. Eli, as he eventually introduced himself, returned almost every day, and looked over the menu every time with the optimism of someone (in Clyde’s opinion) who had very little sense. And every time, he ended up ordering a black coffee with no cream. After a few weeks, admittedly, Clyde started selling him the leftover fruit from his tart making as a sort of fruit salad. Just to capitalize on a possible regular, not because he thought the guy looked fucking pathetic sipping at just his black coffee every day. And _definitely _not because he felt bad. 

The idea of _him_, a trained French chef, baking something vegan, was quite frankly laughable. It just wasn’t worth his time to figure out. But…it wasn’t something Clyde thought he was incapable of. Oh he could definitely do it if he wanted to, he just didn’t. He definitely didn’t feel tempted to start so he could impress Eli either, with his pretty blue eyes and his kind smile and his unquenchable enthusiasm. Although even for Clyde, the master of denial, it was hard not to feel a little swell of happiness when Eli walked into the shop every day. He wasn’t like the other customers, he smiled like he actually cared that Clyde saw it, and he was always so sweet about noticing things like when Clyde did something new with his hair…

But no, curiosity and potential customer satisfaction was the only reason he was here, Clyde reminded himself, steeling his nerves at the entrance to Nourishing Nibbles. If he was going to try out vegan baking, he was going to need ingredients and maybe a few samples to guide him, and this was the only place in town that catered to that demographic. The bell overhead chimed cheerfully as Clyde entered the store, a host of unfamiliar scents hitting his nose. There was a homey atmosphere to the store, and a bakery case front and center. Also front and center was…

“Eli??” 

The man broke out into a beaming grin, looking for all the world as if Clyde were the most important person he had seen all day. “You finally came! I wondered if you would!” He exclaimed, gesturing at the case in front of him as he added. “Everything on the menu’s vegan. Care for a sample?” Eli had the nerve to wink as he said it, and Clyde could feel his cheeks flushing pink. Maybe…he was going to have to reconcile himself with vegan baking after all. Or maybe he’d just make Eli manage that part of their future joint bakery shop.


	8. SiMarkus Alien Encounter/Abduction AU

This is a terrible idea, Simon thought miserably, shivering slightly as the chill night air breezed past and ruffled his hair. He crossed one arm across his chest, pulling his hoodie closer to himself. It was early fall out here, which meant the days were still warm, but the nights were getting cooler every week. It didn’t help he was out in the middle of nowhere, either, wandering through the desert. Okay, okay, desert was a stretch. He wasn’t lost or anything, he was just walking through one of the big empty stretches of land that were littered around the college. His dumbshit “friends” had dropped him off here, so he had a ride back to campus if he could find his way back to where they parked, so that was good. 

Maybe Simon shouldn’t be feeling too charitable towards his friends right now. They were the reason he was stuck out here, after all. They had been teasing him for weeks about his decision to join the astronomy club, calling him out for just joining to see his crush more. And so what if they were right?? Markus was cute, and nice, and Simon would do pretty much anything to see him smile more. Even join the astronomy club, when he really had no interest whatsoever in stars. They were pretty, sure. But the constellation of freckles across Markus Manfred’s face was far prettier. So yeah, maybe joining the astronomy club wasn’t the smartest thing he’d ever done, but it paled in comparison to what he was doing now.

The teasing from Simon’s friends had turned to good-natured dares, and because he was, in the words of Josh, ‘incredibly susceptible to peer pressure’, here he was completing one of them. North had told him that to really impress Markus, he needed to get some dope pictures of stars. Which meant going to the best observation spot in the area - Lookout Rock. It was out in the middle of nowhere, far enough that light pollution wouldn’t fog up the sky, and offered an incredible vantage point if you clambered up to the top. Great, right? Just go out in the middle of the night, take some pictures, and be done with it.

Except…Lookout Rock was apparently also a major hotspot for extraterrestrial sightings. Now Simon definitely didn’t believe in aliens. But North was a really good storyteller! And she had so many of them, at least some of them had to be somewhat true, right? Tales of flashing blue lights, and mysterious disappearances, all banging around in his head as he stumbled around in the dark. The only light Simon had was his phone, and that really was just enough to make sure he didn’t trip and split open his head. The silence of the dessert around him was deafening, the stars wheeling coldly above his head. Finally, looming in the distance, he could see Lookout Rock. Fantastic. He quickened his pace, determined to climb up and get this over with.

And then, suddenly, there was a bobbing blue light on the horizon. Simon felt his heart skip several beats, his feet stumbling as he tried not to panic. It was just like in North’s stories - a glowy presence coming towards him, going to abduct him! Simon gave up on not panicking, trying to turn around to run, when several things happened. He heard a noise like a voice coming from the glow, he dropped his phone, and his sneaker caught on a rock, sending him tipping forward in a rush of limbs. He may or may not have made a very ungraceful yelping noise as he fell, but who was around to confirm or deny that?

As he came to, Simon suddenly became aware of the fact that he was being bathed in a soft bluish glow. Heart pounding again, he struggled to sit up, only to find a strong hand softly holding him down. “Hey, hey, don’t strain yourself. You took a nasty fall.” Said a worried sounding voice. Slowly, Simon was able to focus on the figure above him, realizing that it was… “Markus? Oh my god, what are you doing out here??” Simon choked out, feeling his cheeks immediately flush pink as he looked up into that incredibly handsome face. “I could ask you the same thing.” Markus replied with a chuckle, adjusting his headlamp, “I come out here to stargaze, I bought this light special for it so I can climb up to get a better vantage point.” 

Simon found he was almost wishing aliens would come and abduct him. This was the most embarrassing situation possible, exposed as a scared clumsy idiot out wandering at night in front of his crush. He was trying to think of something to say that would dig him out of this hole when Markus spoke again, saying “Say, you weren’t trying to get to Lookout Rock, were you?” When he got a timid nod in return, he beamed down at Simon, saying “How lucky, me too. Once you’re back on your feet, why don’t we…go there together, maybe watch the stars for a bit?” Simon’s heart fluttered awkwardly in his chest as he nodded again, a shy smile managing to make its way across his face. “I’d like that a lot.” he said, thanking his lucky stars for at least one good outcome for this terrible string of decisions.


	9. Echo/Ripple Merpeople AU

The first day of summer dawns bright and clear, and Echo rises to greet it. Today is an important day, she doesn’t have any time to waste. She bustles around the little cottage, gathering all her supplies - picnic basket, sunscreen, towels, a book she won’t read… Pulling a loose dress quickly over top of her swimsuit, she pauses to braid her hair. A check in the mirror shows her the result is haphazard at best, loose pieces of blue dyed hair falling messily around her face and neck. But it doesn’t really matter, does it? She smiles as she thinks about the fact that her hair will be properly braided by the end of the day.

Basket in hand, Echo is off to the beach, sandals carrying her across pavement, gravel paths, and finally sand. It’s a secluded little beach, tucked away on a part of the island that nobody bothers going to anymore. All the better for Echo’s purposes, as she happily spreads out her towel and weighs it down with the basket and the book so it won’t blow away. The sky is a brilliant blue to match the water, the sun already beating down in a promise of heat to come later in the day. Now all she has to do is wait…

Echo doesn’t have to wait long, the gentle brush of the waves against the sand broken by a sudden joyful exclamation of her name, a shape bursting up through the water and waving excitedly. “Ripple!!” She yells in return, charging into the water despite forgetting to take off her dress first. They meet in the shallows, strong arms circling around Echo’s shoulders, salty kisses pressed against her cheeks and lips. She’s giggling, giddy from the joy, and they end up tumbling down together into the water. That’s not a problem though, Ripple easily righting them and using her tail to haul them up onto the beach again. The waves brush against Echo’s feet as she lays in the sand, still beaming.

And there, next to her, like she never left, is Ripple. Beautiful, smiling, Ripple, with her sandy brown hair and her sparkling eyes. The patches of scales that litter her skin are shining in the sunlight, all silver and blue to match the tail lazily flicking in the wake of the waves. Echo rolls close and kisses a collection of scales just on the top Ripple’s shoulder, which pulls a soft laugh out of her girlfriend. “I missed you so much.” She admits, voice clear and haunting even here above the water. She had told Echo once that she wished she could sing to her properly, below the waves, but they both know that dream will have to wait.

For now, it’s enough that Echo can wrap her up in her arms and say that “I missed you more.” They lay there together in the shallow meeting of the ocean and the land, a metaphor neither of them is quite sappy enough to mention, until the relief of finally being able to feel the other’s heartbeat has turned into joyous energy once more. Then they swim out together, Echo shedding her dress and laughing as Ripple turns circles around her, her powerful tail flashing under the waves and gleaming as she jumps up into the air. She’s showing off, but who can blame her? They have the whole day together, swimming and talking and sharing soft kisses. And in the end, Ripple will do up Echo’s hair, braiding sea pearls into the wet blue strands. It’s enough, for now, to be here together, on the beach as the summer stretches ahead.


	10. Hankvin Star Wars AU

Gavin walks into the cantina with a pocket full of credits and a gun on his hip - both crucial to this evening excursion going well. Dives like this were everywhere, but out here in the rim worlds they had that particular authentic grime that made him feel at home. He approaches the bar and takes a seat, ignoring the chittering twi’lek next to him busy whispering to her friend. For once, he’s not here to find a companion for the evening, he’s just here for a stiff drink. They’ve got a shipment to fly out tomorrow, early and fast, before what little government that’s on this shithole of a planet catches wind. But Gavin’s never been one to resist a drink when he has credits, and sometimes when he doesn’t. Just enough to burn his throat and warm his chest, nothing more. He gestures to the bartender, and that’s when he sees him.

_Him_. Anderson.

Sitting across the bar in a booth by himself, hood pushed back just enough that he can keep a watchful eye on the push of bodies around him, but not enough to make himself visible. But Gavin, oh Gavin, he could recognize that man anywhere. He watches, as if in a trance, as Anderson lifts his drink to his lips and takes a long draught, setting the glass down heavily. He can imagine, with a clarity only supplied by experience, how it would taste to kiss the lingering alcohol off those lips.Gavin swallows, hard, and looks down at the glass now sitting in front of him. It burns going down, the shot bursting into flavor on his tongue. It’s not enough though. Nothing’s ever been enough since back then.

Gavin knows he shouldn’t get up, but he does. He knows how this ends, they both do, because they’ve seen it end before. But the beginning is so good, and Gavin’s never been one to deny himself a good thing, no matter the consequences. He pushes quietly past the other bar patrons, the wailing of the band and the chatter of the drunks disguising his footfalls. When he slides into the booth across from Anderson, though, the man doesn’t even flinch. He barely looks up, doesn’t need to in order to grunt out a soft “Reed. Shoulda known you’d be in a place like this.” 

Anderson had told him once, that in the flow of the Force, all beings are visible. If you know how to look, that is. Gavin’s never been one to believe in the Force, not now anyways. Not after the war. That doesn’t stop the warm pulse in his chest at the easy way the man across from him can recognize his presence, even in a place like this. “I could say the same to you.” Gavin retorts, gesturing at the glass between them dismissively. All that gets him is a shrug, Anderson’s eyes still hidden beneath the dark circle of his hood. “No law against having a drink alone.” The old Jedi says, and Gavin snorts at that, leaning forward with his forearms resting on the worn table between them. “Come now, Anderson, that don’t mean nothin. You and I, we’ve never been one for laws.”

That finally pierces the heavy shell of isolation, Anderson pushing his hood back properly so Gavin can see those eyes, lively even now, even after all that’s happened. “Why don’t you buy me another then, Gav?” The familiar nickname tastes sweet, and Gavin licks his lips to savor it. He grins in response, the slow slide of lips against teeth familiar as well. The beginning is always so good. 


	11. Leo/RK900 Surfer Bros AU

RK surveyed the beach from his perch in the lifeguard chair, scanning the ocean waves in a motion that was pretty much second nature to him now. Another summer day, another day of making sure nobody went and did anything stupid, like drown. Honestly, this wasn’t too bad of a gig, although the boredom got to him once in a while. Most days there wasn’t even much to do, the people splashing around in the shallows safe unless something really dreadful happened. But on days like this, where the sun was beating down and the waves were cresting magnificently, that was when the surfers came out. And really, somehow this beach attracted the worst kind - loud, obnoxious, thrill seekers that were constantly pushing their own limits to show off.

And the worst of them all…RK scanned the beach almost nervously, looking to spot that lanky bastard. He was so intent on his staring that he totally missed the sound of approaching footsteps behind his chair. “Hey big guy!” Came the cheerful exclamation, loud enough to make RK jump in his seat. He recovered quickly, staring down at the man now planted in front of his chair, surfboard in hand. Leo Manfred, scourge of his existence. This guy was either an adrenaline junkie with a deathwish, or he was trying dumb shit on purpose just to make RK get out of his chair and get in the water. He couldn’t even start to count the number of times he had had to swim out and rescue this guy, just in the last summer. And yet every good surfing day he was back, cheerfully greeting the lifeguard and then scurrying off to chase some impossibly large waves.

“You alright up there? You look like you have more of a stick up your ass than usual!” Leo called up, still grinning that stupid grin of his. RK, realizing that he had been caught up in his own thoughts and let his resting bitch face take over, replied “I’m perfectly fine, Mr. Manfred. Simply concerned about your health and safety, as always.” Leo stuck his tongue out, retorting “Aw, that’s cute. You keep a good eye on me today, I’m gonna try some new tricks!” RK knew that being called ‘Mr. Manfred’ drove him crazy, and maybe that was why he always did it. It wasn’t quite the same as why he had never given Leo his own name, no that was more self preservation than anything else. If this guy found his social media handles, he’d never know peace. It was bad enough how obviously Leo stared whenever RK ran across the beach or stretched in his chair. Not that RK paid attention to what Leo was doing when he wasn’t surfing or trying to become a merman. 

Satisfied with his attempts at socializing, Leo was off into the water, and RK was back to work. Today for some reason was grueling - the air was hot despite the sea breeze, and he kept having to get out of the chair for really stupid stuff. By the time his shift was halfway over, he was already exhausted. The only small mercy was that Leo hadn’t gotten himself into any mortal danger yet, although…RK realized with a strange sense of panic that he couldn’t actually see him anywhere. He had only looked away for like ten minutes earlier, to check on a screaming child, and suddenly the familiar figure on his surfboard was gone. Suddenly everything seemed strangely quiet, the sounds of the beach fading away as his pulse roared in his ears. Had it finally happened, had Leo finally managed to kill himself out there? What was he going to do?? Why was this so fucking upsetting?!

“Hey! Earth to big guy.” 

RK’s head whipped around, wide eyes looking down and taking in the easy smile and relaxed posture of the man standing at the foot of his chair. Leo was here. He was fine. Fuck. RK was still recovering, taking a few deep breaths, as Leo held up what turned out to be a cold can of coffee. “Here, you look like you need this. You’re fucking zoning out up there, and you look tired as shit.” He explained. He didn’t flinch when their fingers brushed around the can, but RK noticed his smile got ever-so-slightly wider. “Um. Thank you.” RK said once he could manage to speak, looking between the coffee and the expectant smile, “That was…really nice of you to think of me.” Leo almost looked bashful accepting the compliment, his feet shuffling in the sand. “Nice enough for you to tell me your name, hot stuff?” 

RK snorted, popping open the can and taking a long drink. There it was, the familiar banter he’d grown to almost depend on. “Not quite. You’ll have to try a little harder than that.” He said, licking his lips and watching Leo follow the movement of his tongue. “Not a problem. I’ll be back for the rest of the summer, so I’m sure I’ll have wooed you by then!” Leo insisted, and that was enough to get a laugh out of RK. So he was being wooed, huh? What a ridiculous little man. “I certainly can’t stop you from trying.” He replied, but his smile said what he couldn’t quite admit to even himself - he really hoped Leo managed it.


	12. Josh/North Les Mis AU

North stares out the window, viewing the darkened streets of Paris with tired eyes. Just hours before she had been out there, blood boiling as she joined in the chants and the singing of her fellow revolutionaries. They had begun to build up the barricades together, stacking furniture and rubble and anything else they could lay their hands on. It felt good to be angry, and to know that everyone around her felt that same rage coursing through their veins. They couldn’t just stand by and watch as the ruling class starved them to death. They couldn’t, no, they wouldn’t let more innocent women and children by crushed under the grinding wheel of the workhouses and the poorhouses. They were going to take a stand and fight, and if they stood together, no one could stop them.

And yet…now it all seemed like a hollow sentiment. Maybe it was because the streets were all but empty now, the barricades manned in shifts by North’s compatriots. Maybe it was the lack of support from the common men and women, that swell of humanity noticeably still absent from the streets. Or maybe…maybe it was the way her chest ached every time she looked to her left and saw the empty chair. She almost couldn’t believe it was real, that Josh had really gotten up and left. They had always argued, always fought with one another, but never like this. There had always been enough love in both their hearts to come together and repair the damage instead of walking away from the burning wreckage.

Taking another bitter swig from the bottle, North admitted quietly to herself that perhaps this time she had gone too far. Josh didn’t agree with the revolution, and had always voiced his dissenting thoughts openly among the group. That was fine to start, sure, but as the months passed and things kept getting worse, he stubbornly stuck to his beliefs, insisting that he would not even be complicit in a revolution based on spilling blood. He had pleaded with her, softly, when they were together at night, to reconsider. Telling her that he couldn’t bear the thought of losing her to this violence and anger. 

But if Josh was to be considered stubborn, North was even more so. She was angry, and she refused to be ashamed of that fact. The oppressors needed to pay, and if she had to do it with her own hands then so be it. She would gladly revel in the bloodshed. It was hardly ‘losing’ herself when the fighting was the only time she truly felt alive, was it? _You feel alive when you kiss him_, her traitorous mind reminded her, _and when you stay up all night discussing the ways of the world, listening to the way his voice rumbles softly out of his chest._ Angrily, North takes another swig and feels the alcohol burn down her throat the same way those words had burned on their way off of her lips.

“Well if you care so much more about your principles, why don’t you go stand for them somewhere else, coward!”

North closes her eyes, feeling the sting of the tears she refuses to shed. She won’t cry for herself, had promised that years ago. This is her mistake, she’s finally driven away the only person who stood by her all this time. Her eyes are closed when she hears the door open, so she doesn’t react until whoever it is is standing directly in front of her. She assumes it’s just someone coming in for another lamp, they’ll go out to the barricade again and leave her alone to wallow. When North hears her name spoken so softly, her eyes wrench open, and there he is. Her Josh, standing there in front of her with that stupid soft smile tugging at his lips despite the sorrow that’s permanently etched into his eyes.

“I don’t…I thought you left.” North whispers, afraid that any loud words may break this spell, and send him away again.

“I care about _you_, North, more than any principle.” Josh says, stepping forward and gently replacing the bottle she’s clutching with his own hands, “And I’ll stand with you, no matter what that means.”

And North feels the tears start to run down her cheeks as she clings to his hands, because now she’s crying for the man standing in front of her, handing her his life as if it were the most natural thing in the world.


	13. Hankcon Dog Walker + Dog Owner Meetcute AU

“Excuse me, is this the uh, dog walking service?” 

The man standing in front of the counter doesn’t have a dog with him, but that isn’t a problem. When clients come in sans dog, Hank likes to play a little game with himself. It’s a joke that people throw around - ‘dogs look like their owners’ - but he’s seen enough evidence to know it’s true most of the time. So it’s kind of fun to try and guess what kind of dog would belong to what person. He looks up and meets the eyes of a quiet looking man who can’t be more than thirty or so. He’s got these soulful brown eyes, and pale skin that’s dotted with just enough moles that Hank considers counting them for just a moment. He’s slender, but not too delicate, broad shoulders, wide chest…

Hank realizes he’s staring, and coughs to hide his embarrassment. “Yes, yes it is. Anderson dog walking and day-care company.” He says, pointing to himself and putting on a smile, “Anderson being myself.” The man across from him looks relieved, a matching smile breaking out on his face. “Oh good, I was worried for a moment I had the wrong address. I’ve come to see if you would walk my dog.” He says, still nervous but seeming to gain confidence the more Hank smiles at him. “He’s a little, well…difficult. But he’s a good dog, I promise!” 

Hank can’t help but chuckle. Guy like this, probably has a golden retriever or a chocolate lab that’s too friendly for its own good. Some idiot had probably told him his dog was a problem because they couldn’t handle it. “Yeah, we take all dogs here.” Hank reassures him, “I’ll give him a fair shot, and as long as he doesn’t bite any of the other dogs we shouldn’t have a problem. Sumo here’ll show him the ropes.” He reaches down and pats the giant St. Bernard slumbering next to him behind the desk, and the man leans over the desk to take a peek. The grin he’s sporting after seeing Sumo is blinding. Hank sure hopes he gets to see it again.

“Oh thank you so much!” The man gushes, “I appreciate it, I really do. Can I bring him by tomorrow?” Hank nods, and pulls out an application sheet, sliding it across the counter with a pen. “Yep, just fill out the form with your contact information and bring him tomorrow.” He says, waiting as the form is hastily filled out. “Alright…Connor, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” Hank reads the name off the form and watches Connor’s eyes crinkle up happily as he replies “I’ll look forward to tomorrow!” He’s out of the shop before Hank can really catch his breath, all long legs and youthful energy. Looking down at Sumo, Hank says absently “What have I gotten myself into, old pal?”

The next day, Hank is clipping Sumo into his harness when he hears the bell ring, and a set of footsteps accompanied by skittering dog paws on the tile. He turns and opens his mouth to greet Connor, but his words get caught up in the sight of the tiny teacup chihuahua standing squashed up next to the other man’s shoe. It yaps loudly when it sees him looking, in the way that small dogs sometimes did. Hands immediately scoop him up, Connor shushing the dog and shooting Hank a deeply apologetic look.

“I’m so sorry, um, I promise Princey’s a nice dog.” Connor insists, “Um, he just, well my brother’s boyfriend rescues dogs and Princey came from a bad home and I couldn’t just leave him so I took him but he’s still learning how to be nice and–” Hank quiets Connor mid babble with a hearty laugh, shaking his head and striding across to properly introduce himself to the little guy. “No, no, he’s fine. Little dogs need a bit more reassurance sometimes, especially rescues.” He says, holding his hand out for the chihuahua to inspect at his own pace. Turning his eyes up to look at Connor, he adds “I think you’re doing a good thing, taking in a dog like this.”

And there it is, that beaming grin once again being directed full force at Hank. It’s enough to make him want to color around the ears, but he definitely doesn’t. He’s no blushing schoolgirl with a crush, he’s a grown man. And yet… 

“Want to take the dogs out together today? Just to see how they behave?” Hank asks, and he can’t help but feel as if one of them is going to be blushing by the time this walk is over - going by the enthusiastic way Connor nods his head in agreement.


	14. Reed900 Dog Walker AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A continuation of the previous AU for the wonderful [Socks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/pseuds/connorssock)

Hank was working on closing up the last of the paperwork for the day when the shop bell rang. He looked up to see Gavin stepping into the lobby, his pitbull mix straining eagerly at her leash. She was always more than excited to go somewhere ‘new’ even if that place was somewhere she went pretty much every week. If both their schedules weren’t swamped, Gavin would drop by one evening after closing and walk his dog Haley with Sumo. It was nice for Hank to stretch his legs without having to worry about client dogs, and afterwards they usually stopped by the local bar and got a few drinks. Gavin hadn’t exactly been Hank’s favorite person to begin with, what with him snooping around the business when it first opened to make sure it was clean and up to proper animal care standards. But they had quickly realized their love of animals made for a good enough start to a sort of friendship. Gavin was a sort of free-lance animal rehabilitator, going around to shelters and hoarding cases and rescuing animals that needed it.

That was enough to get him in Hank’s good books, and it wasn’t like Hank was swimming in potential friends anyways. He had a feeling Gavin was similarly kind of a loner. Well, not so much any more. “Hey Gav, how’s the imaginary boyfriend treatin ya.” Hank greeted him with a grin. It was a joke they had been pushing back and forth for months, since Gavin’s latest fling had turned into a somewhat stable relationship. “Niles is just fine, thanks.” Gavin retorted, rolling his eyes as he approached the desk and leaned on it, “Just ‘cause you’ve never seen him doesn’t mean he doesn’t exist. He’s just too hot for social media, I’m tellin’ you.” Hank, as a proud ‘too old to understand social media’ person himself, couldn’t really argue with the idea that someone didn’t want their picture all over the web. Didn’t mean he couldn’t give Gavin shit about it.

“Sure, sure, you keep tellin’ yourself that.” Hank chuckled as he stood up, stretching and hearing his back pop several times. Sumo, eager as ever to go out, was already exchanging sniffs with Haley, but perked up with he saw Hank standing. He trotted after him to the harness rack, tail flapping happily as Hank put his on and attached the leash to the clip. “You ready to go?” Hank asked, glancing over at Gavin, who grinned and replied “Well she certainly is, so I am too.” Haley was straining at her lead again, and Hank didn’t blame him for deferring to the wishes of a dog with enough muscle strength to yank the lead away if she really tried. Either that, or take your arm off.

They walked along towards the park exchanging pleasant chatter - neither of them were shining conversationalists, but it was fun to swap stories about what they had gotten up to in the past week. Gavin had apparently stepped in to help re-house a bunch of small dogs from a hoarding case. “Princess was fucking furious about it, the house was awash in little yappers.” Gavin laughed. Hank laughed along, imagining the giant puffball of a cat Princess being forced out of her usual seat as queen of the house. “You gotta feel bad for the poor little things though.” Gavin continued, “They really get the short end of the stick.” Hank knew very well how much Gavin had a soft spot for dogs that were more at risk for abuse or neglect, Haley being the perfect example. The shelters were practically swimming in pit mixes nobody wanted to take home, so Gavin did what he could.

All this talk of small dogs had Hank thinking about his new <strike>crush </strike>client, so when Gavin asked him what he had been up to this week he didn’t even think twice about bringing him up - teasing be damned. “Got this new client, and dammit Gav, he’s way too fuckin nice.” Hank complained, “He came in ahead of time to see if I’d take his dog, said he was a ‘problem’. Now what does that make you think?” Gavin thought for a moment before replying “Big dog? Aggression issues?” Hank nodded before throwing out the punchline: “I had the same thought. Instead, guy comes in with this tiny ass teacup chihuahua! Little thing, Princey, he’s just kinda yappy, nothing worse than any other small dog!”

Hank expected that to get a dose of big old laughs from Gavin, and if nothing else a few good chuckles. Instead, Gavin stopped dead in his tracks, mouth agape and color draining somewhat from his face. “Wait a second…Was this guy tall, brown hair, kinda goofy looking? Lots of moles?” Hank nodded, feeling somewhat dumbstruck himself now. “He didn’t threaten your or anything though? Like, he was nice and a little dopey?” Gavin continued, to which Hank protested “I wouldn’t call him dopey. He was a genuinely nice guy!” Maybe he had a bit of a soft spot for him already, but that was for Hank to worry about himself. 

“How do you know who I’m talking about, anyways?” Hank asked, tired of watching Gavin’s face go through the seven stages of grief without knowing why. “Oh fuck, Hank…Connor’s my boyfriend’s older brother. Well, one of ‘em, he’s a twin.” The shock seemed to wear off and now Gavin was laughing the way Hank had expected him to, shoulders shaking with the force of it. Haley looked up at him with an unimpressed expression, annoyed at her walk being interrupted by whatever human nonsense this was. “I can’t fucking believe it!” Gavin cackled, “All this time teasing me about my nonexistent boyfriend, and now you’ve gone and gotten tangled up with the softest twink in Detroit!”

Hank didn’t know which part of that sentence to be offended by first, but he did know that things had suddenly gotten a lot more complicated.


	15. Chloe/Kamski Cinderella AU

When Elijah found her, it was past midnight, and Chloe was sitting in the tatters of her dress, crying softly. She was holding her head in her hands, strands of blond hair escaping the pretty bun from earlier and trailing down her back and across her shoulders. Elijah felt his heart sink in his chest - tonight was supposed to have been the perfect night. He had tried so hard to weave a perfect spell for Chloe, to help her finally find what she was looking for. And yet, here she was, still as sad as ever. What a pathetic excuse for a fairy he was. Steeling himself with the reminder that this was about her, not him, Elijah approached the bench she was sitting on and slowly lowered himself down next to her.

“What’s wrong, Chloe?” Elijah asked softly, wanting to reach out and try to comfort her, but knowing that might do more harm than good. Chloe slowly raised her head to look at him, wiping away tears with her fingers and a tattered scrap of her former gown. Once she had gathered herself, she finally spoke, voice soft and hoarse from crying. “Oh Eli, I…the ball was horrible! The people there weren’t any better than my step-sisters, if anything they were worse!” Elijah frowned in concern, but continued to listen silently. He had hoped that Chloe’s idealistic dreams wouldn’t be dashed quite so hard, but it seemed as though neither of their wishes had come true. “And the prince, oh the prince…” Chloe trailed off, pausing to wipe more tears from her eyes. Elijah quietly conjured up a silk handkerchief and handed it to her, hating to see her have to make do with what was barely a rag. 

“He seemed nice, at first.” Chloe finally continued, “But when we started talking there wasn’t anything there. If that makes sense? You know, when we talk I feel as though you really listen to me, but this man…” She shook her head and looked down at her lap, taking in the ruins of the dress and her pearls and the glass slippers lying cold and still in the grass. “Oh Eli, I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I wasted all your hard work!” Chloe wailed, turning and falling into Elijah’s arms. He caught her easily and let her collapse against him, her head cradled in the curve of his shoulder. “You don’t have anything to apologize for.” He said, trying his best to sound soothing and reassuring, when really his heart was breaking, “I’m the one who’s sorry that your perfect night wasn’t so perfect.”

They sat like that, together, two people trying to figure out where to go after the night that both of their lives were supposed to culminate in. Eventually, Chloe raised her head, and Elijah managed to coax her into telling him about the few small things that _had_ actually been fun about the ball. The dancing, and beautiful ball gowns (‘Mine was the most beautiful’ she added, and Elijah felt his cheeks flush), and the food all spread out on huge banquet tables. He even got her to laugh, his favorite sound in the whole world, by doing a very poor impression of a nobleman with two left feet. The sun was just beginning to rise above the treetops when Elijah realized Chloe would need to go home now, or face the wrath of her family.

“I really am sorry, Chloe. That my magic wasn’t strong enough to help you.” Elijah said, remorse clear in the slump of his shoulders. To his surprise, strong hands were suddenly clasping his, Chloe leaning in close with a small smile. “I think you’ve helped me plenty, Eli.” She said, squeezing his hands, “If it weren’t for you, I would have been miserable all evening. And I wouldn’t know what to do now.” Elijah couldn’t help but stare, asking meekly “And what are you going to do?” Chloe’s smile widened, gaining in confidence as she declared “I’m going to escape, and make my own life, with people who aren’t terrible like all those snobs at the palace.” The hope in her eyes was enough to make Elijah’s heart stutter in his chest. He really believed in her, more than any magic of his own. One worry was still nagging at him though, the thought of it enough to make him open his mouth to ask:

“Can I…still see you? After you make your new life?” 

There wasn’t much use for a fairy after you decided to grant your own wishes, but Elijah couldn’t bear the thought of losing his dear Chloe. And Chloe - lovely, strong, beautiful Chloe…She simply smiled and leaned close to press the softest of kisses to his lips. “Of course you can, Eli, because that new life starts right now.”


	16. Connor & Hank Arthurian Legends AU

Hank was in the middle of transcribing a particularly fiddly scroll when the door to his study was thrown open and someone stomped their way in. The door swung closed on its own with a much more subdued clunk, but the damage was done - his quill had stuttered and left a huge puddle of ink. Confound it all, that was going to take some really precise spellwork to clear away. He turned with a sigh, ready to tell off whoever thought it was a good idea to disturb the court wizard so rudely, when he saw the dejected pile of limbs by the fire. Ah. That explained a lot, honestly. Connor was sprawled on the rug, his face pressed into Sumo’s fur, with no thought for how the dust and dog fur was going to mess up his fine tunic. He had clearly just been in a court meeting, given both the outfit and the general atmosphere of despair.

Hank stood with a soft groan as all of his joints protested, and headed over to put the kettle on. Clearly his young charge was going to need something warm to calm him down. Magic be damned, there was a lot to be said for the positive effects of a steaming cup of herbal brew. Connor made no move to get up or say anything, the movement of his hands through Sumo’s fur the only way to tell he wasn’t asleep. Hank let him mope until the tea was ready, then prodded him gently with a foot, saying “Alright, up you get. Hold out your hands.” Connor whined softly, but slowly unfolded himself until he was sitting cross-legged and could hold up a hand to take the warm mug. With his free hand, he attempted to un-muss his hair, only succeeding in pushing that one unruly curl from one side of his forehead to the other.

“Now. Are you going to tell me what got you so upset you had to come busting into my study?” Hank asked, fixing Connor with a stern gaze across his own mug. Connor bit his lip and pouted for a moment, but he knew better than to try and avoid Hank when he had asked a direct question. “It’s just…I dunno, I just feel so useless!” He finally burst out, lowering his eyes almost in shame, “We had a round table meeting, and everyone was so focused on the accomplishments of my brother and the other, better knights…” Hank let out a soft sigh at that, knowing his worries for the boy had finally begun to come to pass. As the youngest knight of the round table, Connor was both a prodigy but also a liability of sorts. He tried so hard to push himself, but the older knights were more capable based on experience alone. It was isolating, not to mention he was also somewhat singled out for being a wizard’s pupil.

“Do you remember last month, that thing with the dragon?” Hank asked, taking an alternate tack to this particular problem. Brute force had never been his strong suit anyways. Connor’s expression got even more miserable, lip even quivering slightly as he murmured “Yeah…Niles slew the dragon and I…fell off my horse.” Hank pressed on, asking in a kindly tone of voice “I know, but who found where the prince had been hidden away, hm? Who made sure no one left until he was rescued?” Big brown eyes slowly raised up until they were looking straight at Hank. “I did.” Connor said softly. Hank smiled down at him, nodding appreciatively as he watched the gears begin to turn in his head. Maybe it wasn’t an immediate fix, but focusing on strengths instead of weaknesses was always a better path to tread.

They sat like that together in silence as Connor slowly sipped his tea and thought, hand returning to its lazy petting of Sumo. Eventually he fixed Hank with one of those goofy looking grins of his - a bit wobbly, true, but still sincere. “I guess maybe I’ve been focusing too much on what I haven’t done, instead of what I have. Thanks Hank, I knew you’d be able to cheer me up.” Hank chuckled and reached over to ruffle his hair, replying “Don’t mention it, kid. You just focus on getting out there and saving the kingdom. Sumo and I’ll be here when you’re done.”


	17. Tina/Polly Starving Artist AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Polly is a PM700 android ‘oc’ of sorts

When Polly came home from her shift, she could hear Tina already fussing around in the kitchen. The thought ‘kitchen’ immediately set off her stomach, which growled angrily. It was late - past 8pm - and she hadn’t eaten anything since she had gone to work in the afternoon. It wasn’t like she had breaks at work long enough to get any proper eating done. Polly felt dead on her feet, the nagging boredom and stress of retail compounding on top of the fact that she didn’t even want to be working there. Being an aspiring painter was hard! She had debt from school and art sales were hard to come by, let alone a proper gallery opening. Dropping her bag by the door, she shuffled into the kitchen and found her girlfriend boiling up water in their beat up kettle. Wordlessly, she wrapped her arms around the other woman and pressed up against her back.

“Aw, missed you too babe.” Tina chuckled, turning her head slightly to press a kiss to the top of Polly’s forehead that was peeking up over her shoulder. Polly sighed, feeling some of the tension already starting to drain out of her. It was hard to stay stressed for too long when she had the most wonderful girlfriend in the world. She smelled like clay, and cedar, and a hint of copper - she must have been in the community studio downtown teaching classes today. 

“What did you make today?” Polly asked, wanting to focus on anything other than the dull parade of customer service complaints she had been forced to sit through. Tina hummed thoughtfully, replying “Well, we threw pots with the middle school kids today, so I helped them with their form and made a test one myself. Then I got some time in on that table I showed you before, remember that nice slab of natural cedar?” Polly nodded along, closing her eyes and picturing the projects her girlfriend was describing. She made such beautiful things with her hands. “Oh! But I need your help for my last project of the day!” Tina suddenly exclaimed, straightening slightly and shooing Polly off her back. The water was starting to cook, kettle heating up slowly but surely.

“Here, sit down, I need you to model really quick.” Tina said, guiding Polly down into a chair at the kitchen table and grabbing a small easel. Polly recognized it - she must have borrowed it from her little art corner in the apartment. “This is unusual, you don’t usually paint.” She mused, as she watched Tina bustle around. “Hey now, I can branch out sometimes~” She retorted with a sly wink, then added “Alright, close your eyes, I just need to get your hair right.” Polly snorted, closing her eyes despite the strange request. She trusted her girlfriend not to prank her too hard. 

After a few moments of silence, save for the rustle of Tina’s movement (and an odd dry crunching sound), Polly said “Wait, don’t you need to see my eyes if you’re doing a portrait?” The reply was immediate, “Your eyes are my favorite, babe, how could I forget?” Now Polly was sure the portrait was going to be ruined, because she could feel herself going bright red. Somehow she managed not to put her head down out of embarrassment or just reach across the table and kiss her girlfriend silly. Both were tempting options, but she persevered. 

After what seemed like an age of waiting, Tina finally announced, “Alright, you can open your eyes and view my masterpiece!” Polly opened her eyes and came face to face with…a portrait of herself made out of ramen? She had to blink a few times and lean in, but that was exactly what it was. Tina had dumped out one of the cup ramen containers they had been eating for the last month (and would no doubt be eating tonight), and had affixed the noodles and toppings using egg wash to the canvas. At first Polly was speechless, but as she looked between the clumsy portrait and her girlfriend beaming proudly, she began to laugh. 

Joyful, proper laughter, the kind that started in her stomach and made her whole body shake from the force of it. Polly couldn’t stop, her eyes watering from the force of her laughs. All the stress of the day no longer mattered. All of it was gone, the worry over her job, the worry over the rent, the exhaustion - all she felt was total joy. “Come here, you incredible painter you!” She gasped out as the laughter subsided into chuckles, and Tina happily settled into her lap to kiss away the tears in the corners of her eyes. “Thank you. For being so…incredibly thoughtful.” Polly said, leaning up and pressing their lips together in a gentle, tender kiss. Tina smiled against her lips, separating just enough to murmur “It’s not hard when it’s for you, love.”


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A request fill for my good friend [Socks](https://archiveofourown.org/users/connorssock/pseuds/connorssock)
> 
> cw for brief mention of workplace sexual harassment

By the time he reached the executive lounge, Silas was too tired to check who else might be following him as he flopped down onto the sofa. This last flight had been a nightmare - a 10 hour slog full of unhappy passengers and a lengthy stay on the runway. His feet were killing him, and he wanted nothing more than to lay back, close his eyes, and listen to blissful silence. Unfortunately, that was not going to be the case it seemed. Another body plopped into place next to him, a low sigh escaping as whoever it was made themselves comfortable. There was no touching of limbs, but it was close enough to make Silas crack open an eye. Oh fuck.

“Fancy seeing you here, 60.” Captain Allen greeted him with a grin. Silas groaned and opened both eyes just to roll them. Of course, just his luck, the stupid cocky captain would have to sit his perfect ass down on the sofa next to him. All he wanted was some rest, was that too much to ask? “Yeah, imagine that, both of us being in the executive lounge when we work for the airline.” Silas deadpanned back, and of course it made Allen chuckle. Everything he did was endlessly amusing to the man, despite his best efforts. Allen had taken off his captain’s hat and was running a hand through his hair, mussing it up but still managing to look stupidly handsome. It was enough to make Silas grind his teeth in frustration.

“You stayin’ out of trouble? I’m not there to keep an eye on you, so who knows what patrons you could be terrorizing.” Allen ribbed him, poking a very gentle elbow into his side. Silas rolled his eyes again and turned slightly so he didn’t have to crick his neck to watch the other man. “Oh you know me, robbing little old ladies, making babies cry, the usual.” His reply was extra snarky, the tiredness making it easier to sound as mean as he tried to make his image come across. But Allen simply smiled, eyes crinkling up at the corners as he said “Sounds like 60 alright. Tipped over any beverage carts lately? Or was that a special treat just for my flights?”

Silas knew what he was doing, knew this was all because of…the incident. They used to fly together, Silas on the hospitality team for the trans-Atlantic flights Allen usually piloted. But for months now the airline had intentionally separated their flight assignments, keeping the two separated. All because he had (intentionally) dropped an entire beverage cart’s worth of cold orange juice and milk on some guy. Watching Allen smiling in amusement at him, Silas knew Allen knew why he had done it. The guy had been hassling his twin, and poor Connor was too soft to stand up for himself when there was an unwanted hand on his ass every time he walked down the aisle. Silas knew too that Allen had vouched for him when he got dragged in front of HR with the threat of losing his job. Had spoken about his outstanding character and service and insisted his testimony stay anonymous… But Silas also knew that was all better left unspoken.

So instead he griped “They don’t even let me drive the drink cart any more, so unsuspecting laps everywhere are safe. And stop using that dumb nickname, it doesn’t make any sense.” Allen laughed at that, properly laughed, tipping his head back to get it all out. “Aw, come on, it’s because –” He was cut off by Silas socking him in the shoulder and insisting “The only 60 I care about is the 60 minutes of shut-eye I plan to get right now, so shut your trap.” Instead of protesting or continuing his train of thought, Allen simply reached up and gently guided Silas’ head down onto his shoulder. “Alright, this is your captain giving you permission to land here for the duration. I’ve been told my shoulder is a very nice pillow.” Silas was almost too shocked to snort, but he still managed somehow. He didn’t move though, except to snuggle just a bit closer so that he was more comfortable.

60 stood for the number of seconds it had taken for Allen to fall for the feisty flight attendant, but he also knew that some things were better left unspoken.


	19. Tina/Stacy Librarian + Patron Meetcute AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stacy is the most popular fan name I could find for the ST300 reception android at the DPD!

Manning the reference desk wasn’t exactly Stacy’s preferred duty at the library, but it wasn’t the worst thing she could be stuck doing either. She could be down in the stacks, for one thing, rummaging through books that hadn’t been put back in the right place three years ago. No, sitting and being somewhat bored while she made sure patrons weren’t doing anything fishy was much more preferable. Currently the library was fairly empty anyways, so there wasn’t much keeping her from working on getting through her latest book. The room was quiet save for the occasional soft noise of someone shifting or setting down a book. Stacy was just about done with a particularly good chapter when there was suddenly a muted ‘fuck!’ from across the room.

Stacy’s head shot up along with all the other patrons, trying to locate the source of the disturbance. It wasn’t hard to find - the woman who had uttered the curse word was currently trying to make herself as small as possible next to the scanners. She was still rustling away at the particularly large book though, and she didn’t look very happy. Stacy frowned - it wasn’t uncommon for patrons to have trouble with the scanners, but the worst case scenario usually involved them getting frustrated and damaging the book they were trying to scan somehow. Standing, she made her way over to the scanner and greeted the patron softly. The woman who turned to look up at her was three things: visibly frustrated but holding it together admirably, short, and way too cute. So basically Stacy’s type. Shit.

“Can I help you with anything?” Stacy asked, and the woman visibly relaxed, relief sweeping across her face. “Oh my god, yes please.” She said, gesturing to the book and the scanner, “I was trying to scan something and it just…it turned off!” A quick look at what was going on here revealed that this woman had been trying to scan way too many pages of this book all into one pdf, and the scanner had either timed out or overloaded. Either way, they were going to have to start over from scratch. “Fuck.” The woman said again dejectedly, then immediately colored and slapped a hand over her mouth. “Sorry, sorry, I just…” She sighed and admitted “I need this book to finish up a proposal for my PhD research and it’s due in like three days cause I’m an idiot…”

Stacy simply smiled and patted the book gently in lieu of being able to pat the patron comfortingly on the arm. “Not to worry. I can help you, we’ll have this done in no time. I’m a bit of a scanner genius.” She reassured the other woman cheerfully, whose cheeks seemed to be even more pink now. They stood side by side at the scanner as Stacy worked her magic, the patron pointing out which pages she needed. Their arms brushed against one another occasionally, the gentle contact seeming like the most natural thing in the world. Overall, it was probably the best scanning experience Stacy had ever had (although admittedly that wasn’t a high bar to clear). It was good enough that she mentally said ‘fuck’ when she glanced over her shoulder and spotted another patron at the desk.

“I’m really sorry, do you think you can manage the last few pages on your own?” Stacy asked, and the patron nodded, shooting her the first smile of the exchange. It was enough to make her want to clutch dramatically at her chest it was so cute. “Yeah, thanks for helping me out. You really saved my ass.” She confirmed, kindly shooing Stacy away. Stacy was so befuddled by the incredibly cute smile that she forgot to ask for her name, her number, literally anything. By the time she returned from helping the other patron, her beautiful mystery woman was gone and Stacy wanted to cry. Fuck indeed. Glancing down at her desk, she suddenly noticed the book the other woman had been scanning was sitting there, with a small piece of note paper sticking out of it. 

Removing the paper revealed the message ‘Thank you scanner goddess. If you accept dinner and drinks as payment for your services, call me! -Tina’ There was a phone number scawled underneath it, and suddenly Stacy had to put a hand to her mouth to try and control the beaming grin that was overtaking her whole face. Scanner goddess was suddenly the cutest thing anyone had called her, and she was seriously considering putting it on her resume. She’d have to tell Tina about it when they went out for dinner.


	20. Reed900 LotR/Silmarillion AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A prompt fill for my lovely [thislittlekumquat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thislittlekumquat/pseuds/thislittlekumquat) who always enables me lmao

Gavin heard him before he saw him, the high clear notes of Sindarin floating to him on the breeze. He had no elven hearing, but needed none to recognize that voice. He quickened his pace, footfalls still barely making a sound in the lush green grass. The rustle of the mallorn leaves above him hid what was left of the sound of his approach, and yet Gavin knew he was never truly hidden here. The thicker growth of the trees gave way to a small grassy clearing, the sound of rushing water now faint in the distance. He cared little for the rushing of water though, when there was the voice of his beloved to hear. 

There in the clearing, sat upon the grass with his feet bare and the sunlight catching the raven tones of his hair, was Niles. Ever line of his body was relaxed and elegant, long fingers brushing along the white blossoms dotting the grass around him. He was singing a song about the new growth of spring, and the pulse of life in every leaf and flower. Gavin knew the song was laced with grief in the second stanza, as were all elven songs of life. He didn’t wait for it to reach its conclusion, stepping into the sunshine himself and raising his voice to hail the elf. 

“Truly, I understand the plight of Beren.” Gavin called, “For had you but danced as you sang, I would be truly lost.” Niles turned his head, unsurprised as always, but smiling softly also as always. He brushed a strand of hair behind his ear and beckoned for Gavin to sit with him, replying “The race of men must truly be commended on their boldness in all words, especially those of praise.” His tone was teasing, lips curled into a smile as Gavin settled onto the grass and kissed him. Niles tasted of spring water and the sweetness of a song, and Gavin sighed in relief. The world felt right when he was with his love, the cares of the coming war forgotten here. Here they were alone as Melian and Thingol had been, the sky above them the same as it had been all those ages ago.

When they parted, Gavin knew he was flushed, but Niles looked the same as he always did. Serene, perfect. Like porcelain. Gavin lifted a work-worn hand and marvelled as its touch was welcomed, the elf leaning his cheek into his palm and half closing his eyes. “I had hoped your path would bring you here.” Niles admitted, “I have been sorely neglecting my duties to sit and wait.” His eyes twinkled mischievously at that, and Gavin had to laugh. The perfect facade hid the sharp wit and independent spirit he had fallen in love with. Letting his hand fall, he leaned back and made himself comfortable in the grass, asking “And what have you clever hands busied themselves with in all this time? I know you to abhor idleness.” 

Niles’ smile spread into what was undoubtedly a grin, perhaps even a smirk. “Did you think I would greet my love with empty hands?” He said, reaching next to him, where his tunic had hidden a cleverly woven crown of flowers and reeds. Gavin had always marveled at the elven way of finding beauty in everything, but Niles…Niles had a way of enhancing that beauty in a way that was wholly his own. The crown was gently settled on his head, fitting perfectly, as was the way of all crafts made by elven hands. “I love it.” Gavin said, brushing an unruly strand of his own hair back, “How may I extend my gratitude to the craftsman who forged such a gorgeous crown?”

Niles simply shook his head, watching Gavin with such a look of unbridled adoration that he felt his heart stammer in his chest. “I simply wished to see you crowned in flowers, nothing more.” He said, then repeated “Crowned in golden flowers, if we are to reminisce once more on the tale of Beren and Luthien.” Gavin snorted, then chuckled as he realized Niles was simply teasing him because he found the compliment from earlier far too fond to bear. “I would gladly bear a more permanent ring as a symbol of my oath to you, you know this.” He said in return, reaching out to bring Niles hand to his lips and kiss the knuckles. As a reward, he looked up to see his perfect elf was flushed from the line of his cheekbones all the way to the tips of his ears. Bold in all words, indeed.


	21. Simon/North Angel and Demon AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fill for [thislittlekumquat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/thislittlekumquat/pseuds/thislittlekumquat) <3

North stood on the edge of the skyscraper, overlooking the city, and wondered what this was all for. Today had been a bad one, escorting souls lost in a meaningless accident up to their eternal resting place. Sure, they got to go enjoy the benefits of heaven, but still…what was the point of creating human lives if they were all just going to be so miserable. North heaved a sigh and tried to focus on the horizon instead, taking in the peace of the sunset and focusing on the beauty of God’s creation instead. That was a much safer line of thought. Anything else, well, that was how you ended up falling. And she couldn’t afford to fall, couldn’t give up on her holy task of protector. Guardian angel was a title that suited North perfectly - she used her powers of righteousness to protect the innocent and smite down evil.

And yet… North shook her head again, and drew her wings closer around herself. No. She would not suffer the sin of doubt to enter her mind.

“Fancy meeting you here, Angel dearest.” Came the cheerful greeting. Ah, think of the Devil and he shall appear. Seemed about right.

“It shouldn’t be much of a surprise, given the activity in this area today.” North replied, rolling her eyes. The demon Simon appeared on her right, his tail twitching lazily, just enough to catch on the edge of North’s wing feathers and tickle them something dreadful. He was wearing that terribly sweet smile of his, as usual, the one that made his cheeks dimple up and his eyes twinkle like seeing her was the best thing that had happened to him all year. Silence stretched between them for a while, but North could feel his eyes on her. It didn’t burn the same way other demons’ gazes did, so she allowed it. 

“The sunset is beautiful.” Simon said eventually, “But I think I like it best because it lights up the copper in your hair.” North snorted, turning her head to watch him. The sunset was washing out his tousle of blond hair as well, the red hues of it sliding off like blood in rain. He was beautiful, even now. “So you came all this way just to make petty compliments, demon?” She asked, “A poor attempt at tempting, if you ask me.” Simon simply laughed and shrugged, unbothered by her lazy jab. He was still watching the sunset, and yet she knew he knew exactly how her hair looked in the light of the setting sun. They knew so many things about each other.

“I wanted the company. Too much going on to be alone tonight.” Simon said eventually, turning to face North at last. His gaze was unbearably fond, and she found herself unarmed by its’ sincerity. It was as if he could see into her soul and parrot back her deepest desires…Well, he _was _a demon. He probably could. But North didn’t see the harm in allowing herself this little bit of a temptation. There was beauty in all of God’s creation, and she saw no reason why that couldn’t apply to those that had strayed from the light. “I suppose I could offer my company. Perhaps you’ll be too busy to do any more evil this evening.” She admitted with a small smile.

“We’ll see about that, Angel.” Simon chuckled, and took her hand in his. North had never known temptation to feel so much like coming home.


	22. Luthara Atlantis (Movie/Legend) AU

When Luther opened his eyes, he half expected to be greeted by a choir of angels or a blinding white light. When he passed out in the middle of the ocean after the boat had capsized, he had just sort of accepted that he was as good as dead. He considered himself a halfway decent person, so it didn’t seem like that much of a stretch to hope for angels, right? As he blinked a few times, eyes still adjusting to the light in this new…room? Space? Luther caught sight of a face peering down at him and thought yeah, maybe he was in heaven. The woman above him might as well be an angel, short cropped silver hair and pale skin adorned in gold and tiny blue jewels.

Kind eyes met his as soon as they could focus, and the woman beamed down at him, exclaiming “Oh, you’re awake! How wonderful!” It took Luther a few more moments to process the fact that this strange being was speaking English, albeit with a strange lilt. “Am I…am I dead?” He asked, unable to hold back the strange question. The woman simply laughed, shaking her head as she replied “No, but it was a close thing. You’re lucky I was passing by, your ship certainly picked a fortunate place to dump you into the ocean.” Hm. Okay, so he wasn’t dead. That explained why he was still sore all over, and why he could feel a cool breeze across his still somewhat damp skin.

“How…the storm, how were you able to get to me through the storm?” Luther asked, struggling to sit up so he didn’t have to make this poor woman peer down at him. It also let him get a good look at her - she was incredibly small and lithe, although not without a hint of strength to her limbs. This observation didn’t help him be any less incredulous when she insisted boldly that “I was out swimming, I grabbed you as you were sinking.” He looked down at his own quite large frame and then at hers with an incredulous expression, unable to fully formulate his thoughts in anything but language that would probably come across as offensive if he was being honest. 

The woman rolled her eyes, replying “Yes yes I get it. I don’t exactly look like the lifeguard type, right? But there’s a lot you don’t know about me.” Luther was about to apologize when he caught the mischievous glimmer in her eyes. Oh. She was teasing him, okay. “Could I maybe…learn your name, for a start?” He asked, trying his best despite conversation never having been his strong point. The woman smiled in return, replying “Absolutely. I’m Kara, I’d say that’s a good place to start before we get into the really wild stuff.” 

Luther raised an eyebrow at that, but given the fact that he had just realized they were in a giant atrium, with water outside the windows, well…Kara seemed a pretty good place to start after all. 


	23. Polycho BE9/Elder Gods AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What’s polycho? It’s shipping Josh/Markus/North/Simon in a polyamorous relationship! 
> 
> What’s BE9? It’s my ongoing AU series exploring elder nature gods (featuring Reed900, Hankcon, and Allen60 ships)! All 4 parts are currently posted on my AO3 if you're interested C:

The first time Simon saw Markus, he knew he must be something special. He had walked into the little pawn shop with the grace of a runway model, all soft smiles and sweet words. Simon wanted to lean in close and count all the freckles that were dusted across his cheekbones, and then maybe he’d know just how many kisses to give him. He had never expected a man like Markus to stick around a dusty little town like this, let alone to stick around a humble little shop owner. But it wasn’t long before Markus was there so often it just made sense to let him sleep in the guest room. And then…Maybe it made more sense to let him sleep in Simon’s room. There was such a strange sense of peace to being with Markus - like the rest of the world was held gently at bay when Simon was in his arms.

The first time North saw Markus, she was struck by how carefree he was. She had spent years working to escape the cares and worries of her old life - had put in the work to get the life she wanted now. And yet this man who was walking through the woods next to the road into town, he looked as if the world had never handed him a care in his life. There was an easy grace to him that was almost infuriating to look at. He had loped over to lean on the handlebars of North’s bike, and she couldn’t quite bring herself to tell him no. She’d never even let Simon touch her bike, not that he had ever asked. There was something about Markus that made the anger she held in her chest quiet down, let the voices clamoring to be heard in her head soften. 

The first time Josh saw Markus, he hadn’t quite known what to say. He had come to this little town to write a book about urban legends, but something in the back of his head whispered that no urban legend could quite match up to Markus. He knew how to spin a yarn, how to tell just the story Josh wanted to hear in the moment. And he knew more about the woods and hills surrounding the town than anyone - even the old timers that spent their whole day in the diner. At night, when he was up late researching until his eyes burned and his head ached, Markus would pad silently into the room and loop his arms around Josh’s shoulders, murmuring soft words to encourage him to sleep. When he was with Markus, falling asleep meant waking rested, free from the burden of his own insecurities.

The first time Chloe saw Markus, she was petrified. Clinging to North’s hand, she had heard the deep tones of his voice and instinctively flinched away. It was too soon, she was still too fresh from the experience of so many years of trauma. And yet…Markus, he had never pushed. Each of the boys had their own way of letting her slowly acclimate herself to their presence, but Markus let her come to him all on her own terms. She was aware of his presence, could hear and see him around the shop and around the town, but all he offered her were smiles from a distance, and kind words when she spoke first. The first time she reached out and took his hand, she felt as if she had placed the final piece into some great cosmic puzzle - knots in her soul shifting and untwisting as he looked down at their twined fingers and murmured his thanks.

In the morning, when Markus wakes, he is surrounded on all sides by warm bodies. They long since abandoned the idea of different beds every night, pooling their money to buy a mattress that could accommodate them all. The guest bedroom was still there, and some nights one or more of them needed the solitude it offered. But today, oh, today is a good day. He turns his head and presses a gentle kiss to the top of Josh’s head where it’s snuggled up against his chest. Next to Josh, Simon stirs in his sleep and presses closer into North’s embrace, murmuring soft nonsense. Chloe is turned away from Markus, but she’s wrapped his arm around her waist, clasping their hands together even as she sleeps. He takes in this beautiful sight with a swell of gratitude, thinking how lucky he is to have found these special people after so many long centuries.


	24. Jerralph Movie Stars AU

Ralph hummed happily to himself as he exited the coffee shop, his precious cargo clutched in his hands. There were three tall drinks balanced in the little cardboard carrier, and all three were going to make them successfully to their destination, regardless of traffic or rush. Ralph was very good at his job. Well, this wasn’t exactly his whole job, but it was an important part of it! If his clients didn’t get their morning caffeine, they would be tired and grumpy. And no one wanted the triplets to be grumpy. A small, quiet, and somewhat selfish part of Ralph knew that he wanted to do a good job on the coffee delivery so that he might get a smile from Jerry. But no one needed to know that.

Pushing open the door to their dressing room with his foot, Ralph was greeted with a cheerful chorus of ‘good morning!’s. He greeted each one of his stars with his own little ‘good morning’ as he set their order down in front of them: a caramel latte with extra espresso for Jason, a coldbrew nitro for Jack, and a matcha latte with extra whipped cream for Jerry. Despite them all having switched places since he last left (on purpose probably), Ralph delivered each drink to its respective owner with ease. He had always been able to tell the triplets apart, despite their at first hostile and now joking attempts at fooling him. The soft, fond smile he got from Jerry in return for his drink was going to be enough to keep him going for the next week, honestly. 

Being a personal assistant to three identical actors starring in a popular sitcom series wasn’t exactly the easiest of jobs. Ralph was on his feet pretty much all day every day, making sure that the triplets got everything they needed to get through the demands of acting. He was incredibly glad he didn’t also have to manage their acting career - they had an agent for that, and she was kind to Ralph whenever she visited and sat down with her clients. And Ralph, well, he liked being useful, and he was good at keeping track of things and making sure everything went smoothly without anyone really noticing it had had the option not to. And the triplets…they never made fun of him when his hands shook, or when he had a hard time getting the words in the right order. They teased and joked about other things to make him smile, but whenever he had a bad day they were nothing but kind and gentle. It made him want to work even harder to help them live their best lives as actors.

On this particular night though, Ralph was sitting in his car with barely enough energy to look at his phone, let alone drive home and make dinner for himself. It had been a stressful day for everyone in the studio, and all he wanted to do was just…sit here. A rap on the window of his car had Ralph bolting upright in shock, seeing the smiling face of Jerry peering in at him. Confused, and a bit curious, Ralph rolled down the window to see if he needed anything. He would do anything for Jerry, even off the clock. Not that he would ever ask, which was part of what made him such a sweetheart. Jerry was sweet, and kind, and funny, and he always asked how Ralph was feeling when they talked, and…

“Hey, want to grab some dinner together?” Jerry asked once the window was down, “Today was wild, let me show my appreciation a little bit.” Ralph, taken aback by the surprise of being offered what he had been dreaming about for so long, took a few moments before he finally managed to reply. “Oh, um, that would be. That would be lovely.” He stammered, offering Jerry a shy smile, the best he could muster with so little energy. Jerry just beamed down at him, declaring seemingly out of the blue “You have the sweetest little smile, you know that Ralph? I’m lucky I get to see it every day.” Ralph was sure he must have turned the brightest shade of pink imaginable, but he couldn’t bring himself to care. He couldn’t bring himself to care about much of anything else but Jerry for the whole rest of the evening.


	25. Gavin & Kamski Pirate AU

Evening finds Elijah on land, drinking the spoils of his latest conquest in one of his favorite taverns. The rest of his crew surrounds him - all rowdy laughter and boisterous yells. They’ll drink themselves out and stagger back to the ship in a few days, having spent their time rollicking with crewmates or with newly found bedfellows. For his part, Elijah hasn’t quite decided what he wants to do with his time before he has to return to managing the ship. He certainly wants to have a few pints of ale first, and he has a suspicion that once he’s done that the next decision will come easier.

Elijah is just tipping back the last of his first flagon when he spots a familiar face making its way through the crowd. Gavin always was easy to spot, even before he got his signature scar. Elijah wasn’t sure if it was the absolutely insane energy he radiated, or the fact that he was a fair amount smaller than most of his crew members. Either way, Captain Reed was a force to be reckoned with, and a character who stood out, even among the thronging crowds filling this particular tavern. Elijah turned to the barkeep and gestured for another two flagons of ale to be delivered. He had a feeling they were both going to be needed.

“Brother!” Gavin called out cheerfully as he approached Elijah, a grin spread across his face. Gavin only called him ‘brother’ when he wanted something, that much Elijah knew. Otherwise it was ‘Eli’ or ‘Little shit’ or ‘Kamski’. But ‘Kamski’ was only for when he was really angry, which these days wasn’t quite as often. Elijah wasn’t sure who he should be proud of for that fact. Either way, tonight Gavin was in high spirits, and Elijah couldn’t help but smile back. He was fresh off a conquest, he had money in his pocket, and his half brother was pulling him into an enthusiastic hug. What could go wrong?

Once they were both seated and wetting their throats with ale, Elijah finally said “Alright you scoundrel, out with it! What new scheme are you trying to wrangle me into.” Gavin had the audacity to look offended, putting a hand over his heart with a gasp. “Me, scheming??” He exclaimed, “My dear brother, I would never! I am but an honest sailor, making my way in this world as best I can!” That got a laugh out of Elijah, loud and clear and good for the soul. They were both of them about as far removed from ‘honest sailors’ as one could be. He shot Gavin a look that told him to cut to the chase.

“Well, if you insist…” Gavin admitted, his sly grin slipping back onto his face, “I may have come into possession of some information regarding our late bastard of a father’s treasure.” That got a raised eyebrow from Elijah. The man who had given them life and not much else had been quite the swashbuckler in his time, and was rumored to have buried an incredible haul of stolen goods in various secret locations. People had been after this treasure to no avail for years. “Oh really? Do tell.” Elijah asked, feeling himself be baited into caring despite his best efforts. 

Gavin pulled out a pocketwatch from his coat and slammed it down on the bar. No, not A pocketwatch, Elijah realized, The pocketwatch. The one their father had left him as his only bequest. It matched the compass that Elijah carried with him as well, the bronze on both instruments worn and scuffed but still beautiful in the light reflecting off the ocean. “I figured out the trick.” Gavin continued, “There’s coordinates hidden here, or at least the beginnings of them. But I have a feeling they’ll match up quite nicely with the ones hidden on your compass.”

Elijah realized what Gavin was proposing without him needing to say it. “We split the treasure 60-40 if we find it together.” He declared, “I’ll take the larger share as the older brother tax, since I’ll no doubt be saving your ass throughout this madcap adventure.” Gavin just tsked and shook his head, pulling the pocketwatch back towards himself. “Oh no no, you don’t even know where to find the coordinates. I’ll be taking the larger share, as the brother who figured out how to find the treasure!” They were both still grinning despite the argument, the mad lust for treasure and adventure kindled in both their hearts. “What say we hash out the details later?” Elijah suggested, “After all, blood brothers such as ourselves shouldn’t squabble over mere gold.” Gavin, clasping his outstretched hand in a firm shake, responded with a chuckle “Good thing we’re only half blood then!”


	26. Kara & Alice Harry Potter AU

Kara came up the stairs to Alice’s room to say goodnight and tuck her in after Luther finished reading the bedtime story. At first, they had taken turns reading to their girl before bed, but Alice insisted Luther did the best voices and even made the shadows dance and twirl like the characters in the story! Kara hadn’t taken it personally - after all, it made her heart melt to be able to stand out in the landing and listen to her Luther’s soft voice wrapping up his tale as Alice giggled happily. Knocking on the door, she poked her head in to find him tucking away his wand, the shadows on the wall softening to their normal shapes as the charm faded. Alice and Luther both turned to smile at her as she entered, another occurrence that made her heart flutter happily.

“All ready for bed, pumpkin?” Kara asked, approaching the bed to stand by Luther. Alice nodded and snuggled down into her blankets happily. Luther leaned in to kiss her on the forehead before standing to leave, then gave Kara a gentle hug. Once he had padded out into the hall, off to get ready for sleep himself, Kara sat down on the edge of the bed, smoothing Alice’s hair back off her forehead. She was about to begin their usual routine of goodnights and ‘I love you’s’ when she noticed her little girl’s eyes were solemn and her forehead creased in thought.

“Mom…What if I get sorted into Slytherin?” Alice asked quietly and completely seriously. Kara resisted the urge to raise an eyebrow in surprise. She shouldn’t have been surprised, really. Alice and all of her friends were getting to that age where the owl with their Hogwarts letter wasn’t far off, so their conversations naturally drifted to what might happen at school. And unfortunately, there were still very real stereotypes concerning the four houses that got thrown about, even among children. “I want to be a Hufflepuff or a Griffindor like you or dad.” Alice admitted rather miserably.

Kara gently soothed at Alice’s back through the blanket, saying “I think that would be lovely if you were in one of our houses, dear. But you know who would be really proud of you if you got sorted into Slytherin? Auntie North.” Alice had grown up with a huge ragtag group of ‘aunts’ and ‘uncles’ who all loved her more than anything, and it was in times like this that Kara was more grateful than ever for their presence in her life. She watched realization slowly creep across Alice’s face as she let out a quiet ‘oh’. “Auntie North is a Slytherin, and she’s someone who always does her best to protect you, no matter what.” Kara explained further, “She’s not mean or sneaky or anything that people might say about Slytherins, is she?”

Alice considered for several minutes, finally saying “The only sneaky thing Auntie North does is teach me how to get extra snacks at Uncle Connor’s house.” Kara had to chuckle at that - Connor did his best to help everyone live a healthy lifestyle, but little girls would always love cookies. “See? So there’s nothing wrong with being sorted into Slytherin.” Kara confirmed, and she smiled as she saw Alice nod, first hesitantly then again with a little more confidence. Having a positive role model was so important, especially with all of the emotional turmoil going to a new school could bring. Kara was also very excited to tell North all about this and watch the normally stoic woman get overly sentimental over her little niece.

Seeing Alice was more calm now, Kara leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her cheek. “And remember, no matter what house you get sorted into, you’ll always have a home here.” She murmured. The quiet “I love you mom.” She got in return made Kara feel as though there were no troubles in the world not worth untangling for her little girl.


	27. Gavin & Tina Victorian England (Steampunk) AU

Gavin arrived at Tina’s lab, pack slung on his back and a determined jaunt to his steps. He hadn’t heard from her in like a week, and that was worrying, given that usually they checked in on each other every few days. He had a feeling something was wrong, and he really hoped it wasn’t anything serious. Confidently, Gavin knocked on the door to the lab three times. He waited, then did it again. Receiving no answer was enough to make his heart rate spike awkwardly, the worry rising. “C’mon Tina…” He muttered, rifling around in his pocket for the metal contraption he had whipped up last time this had happened. Setting it to the keyhole, he depressed the button and let it buzz away at the lock.

In a few minutes the little levers had wormed their way in and pushed the tumblers aside, letting the door swing open with a click. Gavin cursed as he pocketed the now hot device, and pushed his way into the lab. The downside to powering things with little engines or steam was that everything was hot all the time. He wasn’t going to have any fingerprints by the time he was forty. There were sounds of life coming from the back of the lab - muffled curses and the sounds of metal being jammed together, so Gavin headed for that.

He found Tina slumped over her workbench in defeat, some failed invention or other strewn all around her. There were bent pipes and cogs with missing teeth, all evidence of a malfunction or an explosion of some sort. “Hey. Idiot. You had me scared half to death!” Gavin complained loudly as he approached. Tina jumped slightly at the sudden noise, then groaned and buried her head further in her arms. “Gav, why are you here?” She complained, “Leave this idiot alone to die in peace.” Ah. So it was probably not just a malfunctioning machine, but an ex-girlfriend resurfacing or something. 

Gavin walked over and set a comforting hand on Tina’s back. They had been friends since they were kids, he knew when she needed to be forcibly dragged out of her moping. “Well it’s a shame that you’re going to die alone, because then I won’t have anyone to test my new invention with.” He said with a mock sigh, “And it’s a really cool one…” There were about thirty seconds of hesitation before she slowly raised her head and asked quietly, “Did you…finish the rocket boots?” The grin that spread across Gavin’s face was more than enough of an answer, along with the clank of metal from the pack hoisted over his shoulder.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur - they sped out of Tina’s lab without much of a second thought, legging it across the city via dirigible bus. Once they were at the old abandoned factory, Gavin wasted very little time in dumping the prototypes out of his bag and strapping them onto both of their feet. Essentially they were rollerblades, but he had affixed tiny engines to them that allowed the user to ‘boost’ their speed, as it were - all controlled by a series of levers and gears that attached to a sort of gearshift for your shoes. Did it look completely ridiculous? Absolutely! Was it worth it to watch Tina laugh so hard she cried when he pressed the button for the first time and his trousers caught fire as the engine flared too hot? ABSOLUTELY.

Afterwards, as they sat and nursed their bruises and watched the sun set behind the towers of the city, Tina let her head come to rest on Gavin’s shoulder. She sighed, letting out what sounded like a week’s worth of stress in one breath. “Thanks.” She finally said, nudging him a bit with her shoulder, “For like, not letting me die alone in the ruins of my lab.” Gavin smiled. He didn’t need to hear Tina thank him to feel happy, but it certainly added to the warm feeling buzzing in his chest. “Come on, did you really think I’d let me best test subject off the hook like that?” He joked in return. Tina laughed, and headbutted him just a little, and things were back to normal again. Gavin wouldn’t have it any other way.


	28. Chloe/North Beauty and the Beast AU

Chloe remembers being filled with terror the first time she met the Beast - the terrible thing towering over her all claws and fangs and eyes glowing with hatred. 

*

She had come to bargain for the life of her step-brother, a truly wretched fool who had trespassed on the enchanted castle’s grounds to try and steal her a rose. Chloe refused to let him die, even on the grounds of his own stupidity. She had stood her ground even as the Beast rounded on her; limbs shaking but lips set in a determined line. 

“I will stay in his place, as punishment, if I must!” Chloe had offered, seeing no other way to bargain with a creature that was barely human. To her surprise, the Beast showed no interest in such bargains, growling out in her low voice “Begone, both of you. I have no interest in putting women in a cage of any sort, be that of bargain or of iron.” Chloe hadn’t had time to puzzle this over, instead pulling Elijah to his feet and rushing together out of the castle and back to the safety of the forest. The Beast had made no attempt to stop them, and when Chloe looked back (just once, just because she couldn’t not), she had been standing stock still in the doorway, simply watching them leave.

Chloe held herself back for weeks before the nagging in her heart and the curiosity in her mind drove her to return to the castle. She approached the castle with trepidation, fear once more attempting to overpower her but being driven back upon seeing the Beast sitting almost forlornly in an overgrown rose garden. “Why have your gardens gone to ruin?” Chloe asked in as bold a voice as she could muster. The Beast looked more surprised at this sudden question than Chloe had thought possible, looking in wonder at her before turning away once more to grumble “My hands are ungentle, unsuited for the work of tending to anything that grows.” Chloe considered that, her natural urge to step in and offer help bubbling to the surface before she could stop herself. “Well then. I think it’s time _someone _took this garden in hand, and if it must be me, then I will gladly accept this duty.”

And so, without Chloe or the Beast truly ever meaning for it to happen, Chloe became the castle’s gardener. She stayed in the castle when she wished, and she returned to her home when she wished as well. True to her word, the Beast said or did nothing to try and bind Chloe to her side. Yet…Chloe found herself wanting to spend more time in the company of the enigmatic woman. It was easier and easier to call her a woman and not a creature, for aside from her appearance and her anger, there was very little beastly to her behavior. They spoke more often, of life and literature and the small pleasures one could find in a simple life. One quiet night, the Beast even let Chloe brush out her auburn hair, slowly working out the tangles and braiding it down her back. She found herself wanting more, even if she felt her feelings might never be returned. For how could royalty, however cursed, love a peasant woman such as herself?

*

Chloe feels a stab of sheer terror as she enters the rose garden on this terrible night - the wind is howling and the rain is just beginning to fall, drops slicing against her skin like steel. And yet, more terrible still is the sight of the Beast, _her Beast_, lying motionless on the ground. She is surrounded by a shock of blood red petals, as if the roses were weeping for her in Chloe’s stead. She rushes towards the figure, gathering her up and resting her head on her lap. “Please, please don’t leave me!” Chloe pleads, “I cannot bear to have you leave me!” Her own tears are falling onto the Beast’s fur alongside the rain, and in desperation, Chloe leans down to press a gentle kiss to her forehead. It’s not enough, it will never be enough. But she is selfish, still.

There is a flash of brilliant light, and Chloe finds herself suddenly enveloped in a warm breeze that carries the scent of roses in summer, heady and intoxicating. When she looks down, she is cradling in her arms a woman who is terribly familiar despite never having seen her face before. Wait, that is a lie. She has seen that smile before, and the gentle warmth of those eyes slowly opening. “Chloe…You stayed with me.” the Beast murmurs, and she is not a beast any more, and Chloe cannot bear to keep from leaning down to press their lips together. They can speak of curses and their breaking later, but for now she must find some way to express the love she feels blooming in her chest.


	29. North/Kara Grad Students AU

North was reaching the end of her rope with this classroom shit. Every Monday and Wednesday when she arrived at the classroom she used to teach basic biology to freshmen who didn’t want to be there, every single chair in the damn room was rearranged into some weird formation. Whoever taught in the room before her was clearly an incompetent or a crazed person, because they were pushing all the tables out of the way and re-organizing the chairs however they damn well pleased. And North was absolutely not getting paid enough to deal with this shit. It was bad enough trying to get her PhD in biosystems engineering without having to teach intro biology every semester, and add ‘interior decorator’ on top of that? Fuck that.

Not only was it annoying, but it wasted a good ten minutes of her class time as her students had to put all the chairs and tables back into place in time to listen to the lesson of the day. Several weeks into the semester, and North had had enough. She didn’t have time to come and confront whoever taught before her, but she did have a good fifteen minutes to spare while her class did a discussion to pen a scathing note. She left it on the lectern for ‘the M/W 9:50-10:00 instructor” and hoped it wouldn’t get cleared away by the custodial staff over the weekend. In said note, North detailed pretty much every annoyed thought she had about whoever was dense enough to pull this shit, although she made an effort to leave any profanity out of it.

On Monday morning, North returned to find her note still there, but with a little ‘Re:’ written on the envelope. The chairs were still in disarray, so she was already pissed when she ripped it open to read: ‘Hello fellow M/W instructor! I’m sorry the chairs have been causing you such problems, but arranging students in more relaxed spaces is more condusive to learning and discussion! I never teach with tables any more, and I’d encourage you to do the same! Please let me know if you’d like me to recommend some readings on the subject! :)’ North had to work very hard not to crumple up the note and throw it at the nearest wall. READINGS!!! Readings indeed! Not like she had enough to fucking read!!

The next note North wrote was much less polite, but it was met with nothing but apparent pleasantry from the mysterious teacher who came before her. At first it only served to make her more angry, thinking it couldn’t possibly be more than a passive-aggressive ploy, but after a few weeks…North began to almost get used to her weekly correspondence. Neither of them signed their missives, but she had to assume it was always the same person. They really liked the smiley face emoji, whoever they were, and also very holistic teaching approaches. As much as she would never admit it (and stayed afterwards to remove the evidence by reorganizing the chairs), North actually did try leaving them in their little circles one day. It wasn’t terrible. It was. Well, maybe it was good for some things.

As the semester began to near its close, North was struck with the sudden thought that she might never actually find out who her mystery penpal was. And as much as she hated admitting it, she had grown pretty fond of them. Luckily, her class right before teaching cancelled one day, so North had the luxury of arriving early enough to catch the tail end of the class before hers. As the students all filed out of the room, she stepped in, and came face to face with…a young woman her age, pushing short blond hair back out of her face as she gathered up her folders and papers. 

“Can I help you?” She asked pleasantly, a soft smile gracing her lips that had North’s heart down on its knees in an instant. God. She really was a sucker for a cute girl. “Yeah, uh. Mind explaining just how you use these chairs for teaching?” North blurted out, and the shocked expression on the other woman’s face was well worth the potential embarrassment. “You! Oh my god it’s finally you!” She exclaimed, coming out from behind the podium and standing directly in front of North, grinning up at her with a hand extended, “The name’s Kara. I’m so pleased to finally meet you!” North shook her hand in bewilderment, but she could feel an answering smile on her own face despite it all. “And I’d be happy to talk more about the chairs but…maybe over coffee sometime? Since you have to teach and all.” Kara added slyly. 

“I can’t say no to that sort of offer.” Came North’s answer, and it was in that moment that she knew her heart was lost. A cute girl and coffee? She could forgive all manner of chair based sins for that.


	30. Simon/Josh Shipwrecked on a Deserted Island AU

Trudging through the lush foliage, Simon slapped uselessly at the mosquitos nibbling on his neck and let out a soft whine. Really, his least favorite part of the island was the amount of bugs. It was a wonder he had any blood left, at this point. Adjusting the pack on his back, he continued onwards, determined to make it back to camp in time for dinner. He had been out foraging for food and supplies, and happily he had ended up with quite a few little treasures to share. He was pretty excited, honestly, but mostly he was excited to sit down and rest his feet. Working outside during the day was tiring, even though he had tried his best to stay in the shade.

The trees finally cleared, and Simon could finally spot their little camp in the distance. He picked up the pace despite his legs protesting, hurrying towards the smell of food cooking and the sound of someone humming softly. Part of what he loved most about Josh was how he transformed the silence into something _more_. Out in the jungle there were sounds, sure, but there was still silence. And it was oppressive sometimes, to the point where Simon could feel himself doubting his own reasoning. But he never felt that way around Josh, oh no. Around Josh he only felt safe.

Josh was sitting by the fire, working on dinner, but he looked up with that easy smile of his when Simon walked up. “Welcome home.” He said simply, and Simon felt as if all the worries of the day melted away. He walked close and leaned down to press a kiss to Josh’s cheek, replying “I’m so happy to be back. Today was rough work!” As he unpacked his stash of food and other useful items, Simon chattered away, filling Josh in on everything he had done and seen while he was away. For the first time in his life, he felt like he could just _talk_ and not feel as if the other person was waiting for him to shut up. Josh was quiet as he cut up vegetables for the stew, but he was always listening. Occasionally he would ask a question or make a little noise of confirmation, just to make sure they were both on the same page.

They ate dinner sitting across from each other with the fire between them, the flames low and soothing. It was simple food, no fancy seasoning or plating like in their past lives, but it was filling and would help them keep up their strength for the next day. Tomorrow, Simon knew, they would have to work on patching up the roof of their little hut, but tonight…tonight, they packed up a few things and headed out to sit on the beach. It was a short enough trek from the camp that they could make it back in the dark via the light of the moon, and since the sky was that clear it was the perfect night to go lay out on the beach.

Simon tossed his shoes off as soon as they reached the sand, sighing happily at the feeling of the warm sand between his toes. They laid out on the shore, gazing up at the sky as the sun went down and the stars twinkled into view. Simon had never been able to see the stars when he lived in the city. That was something he loved about their life on the island. Once it was completely dark, Josh began to tell his stories. He knew every single tale for every single constellation, his quiet voice confident and calm as he recalled them. Simon rested his head on Josh’s chest and closed his eyes, not needing to see the stars any more. How could they compare to the sound of his beloved’s voice, and the feeling of his arm wrapping around his waist?

They may be stranded here, but Simon wasn’t sure he ever wanted to leave. 


	31. Convin Sherlock Holmes AU

“That’s wrong and you’re stupid.” Gavin called out from the sofa, just loud enough for it to really grate on Connor’s nerves in the next room. The detective was prepping for the police briefing this afternoon, and he had been rehearsing his explanation of the criminal’s most likely flight path from the sting they were planning. It involved a lot of his typical logic mumbo jumbo, and Gavin couldn’t resist putting his two cents into the mix. He had been reading the newspaper, comfortably sprawled across the cushions, but it was impossible not to listen to Connor when he was really going. It was also impossible for Gavin to keep his mouth shut, so. The usual.

“And just _what_ is that supposed to mean?” Connor snapped, appearing in the doorway with a look of annoyance written all over his usually serene face. Not many people got to see the famous detective as anything more than a machine, and Gavin wasn’t sure if most days he counted himself as lucky or not. He sure did throw a lot of little bitch fits for being a man of logic and order or whatever. Connor adjusted his waistcoat as he waited for an answer, a nervous habit Gavin was very familiar with. He was wearing his favorite navy blue one, with a pressed white dress shirt underneath, sleeves rolled up into neat cuffs. Gavin was certain that if he weren’t such a lazy bastard, he could get out a ruler and confirm they were both rolled up exactly the same amount, down to the centimeter.

“It means, you’re wrong.” Gavin said simply, shrugging and throwing the newspaper aside. He made no effort to sit up, but he was dedicating all his attention to this now. “You’ve gone all logic-y again, and it’s not gonna pan out the way you think it will.” Connor’s eyes narrowed, and he crossed his arms with a little huff. “And where exactly have I made this crucial error, oh wise one?” He asked, voice dripping with sarcasm. Gavin simply grinned in response. Sarcasm meant he was getting under Connor’s skin properly. “The guy won’t just run straight from the sting to the harbor. Sure, he’s gettin chased, but he’s not that stupid. He’ll stop by that sandwich shop we know he likes, and wait for police presence to die down while he eats lunch. Humans gotta eat, Con.” He explained matter-of-factly.

That was apparently so mundane that Connor couldn’t even come up with a suitable exclamation of annoyance, letting out a strangled noise of annoyance as he squeezed his arms closer across his chest. His mouth opened a few times then snapped shut for good as he shook his head in sheer amazement at Gavin’s apparent stupidity. “Eh, fuss all you want but I’m right.” Gavin said with another languid grin, stretching in a way he knew would make his untucked shirt ride up over his stomach. Connor refused to take the bait, turning on his heel and storming back to his office. He was grumbling little curses under his breath, and Gavin knew he wouldn’t stop thinking about it all evening. Good. Give that big ol brain something to do.

The next day, Gavin stood and let Connor fuss over his black eye and split lip as constables carted the criminal away. He had staked out the sandwich place himself, and jumped the guy as he emerged with his lunch in hand. Unfortunately, sandwich or not, the guy had still put up quite a fight. Gavin had only needed to hold him off till Connor arrived with backup though. For all his fussing, Connor always came and saved his ass. That was just how this thing they had worked. Gavin hissed in discomfort as a slender finger wiping away a fleck of dried blood brushed against a particularly tender bruise.

“Watch it, you’re worse than that asshole.” Gavin grouched, looking up into those worried brown eyes and instantly softening. “I’m fine, Con. Seriously. Nothing I haven’t had before, but worse.” He insisted, thinking back to his days as a bare-knuckle boxer with no small amount of relief that those days were in the past. Connor let out a soft sigh, retorting “I know. I’m more worried for that head of yours. What were you thinking, coming here when you knew the plan had us at least twenty minutes away?” Gavin shrugged, suppressing a wince as that agitated the pulled muscle in his shoulder. “Didn’t wanna let him get away. You worked so hard to track him down, I was just covering your ass, really.” He said, about to continue on and bluster a bit about how right he had been after all.

Gavin never got the chance to finish that boast though, because Connor leaned down to silence him with a kiss. Smartass. He knew that was the only way to shut Gavin up. Not that either of them particularly minded.


	32. Markus/Connor Vampire AU

The chill air swept around Connor as he walked the streets of town alone, but it failed to cause any great reaction. His coat was already drawn up tight around him, collar popped up to cover his neck and scarf tightly knotted at the front of his throat. The soft sound of his footsteps on the pavement was accompanied by the rustle of the stray trash gathering in forgotten alleyways and not much else. There was nothing else foolish enough to wander the darkened streets without the light of any moon to guide it, and yet here Connor was. He wasn’t particularly worried, his eyes used to navigating with little light. The solitude bothered him very little as well, as accustomed as he was to working solo.

A soft rustle was all the warning Connor got before strong arms were wrapping around his torso, one hand gripping the front of his coat and the other cradling his chin, fingers probing at the scarf. “Don’t you know it’s dangerous to walk alone at night?” The voice in his ear purred, rich and soft despite the clear threat it carried. Connor simply smiled, his own hand and the stake it held already pressed up against the side of the man behind him. “I appreciate the concern, but I consider myself highly capable of defending against any possible threats.” He teased in return. 

The hand on his chin tilted his face, and suddenly Connor could catch a glimpse of those gorgeous mismatched eyes, glowing slightly in the dim light. “Come now, Markus, did you really think I would let you catch me so easily?” He continued, putting just a tiny bit more pressure behind the stake to drive the point home. Well, not quite, not hard enough to actually do any damage. Markus chuckled, and the vibration of his laughter echoed against Connor’s back. “I think you let me sneak up on you so I could warm you up.” He accused, to which Connor let out a fake gasp. 

“I would never!” Connor insisted, “Consorting with the enemy is strictly forbidden, and I’ll have you know I’m quite dedicated to the Hunter’s Code.” They both knew that was both true and also very much a falsehood. Connor was a dedicated Hunter, just not when it came to this particular vampire. He didn’t need to breathe, but Connor could still feel Markus’ breath on the back of his neck, even through the thick material of his scarf. The world suddenly didn’t feel so cold, and he knew that Markus would be able to smell the way his heart rate had increased, blood pumping faster in anticipation of…whatever happened next.

“It would seem we are at a standstill then, of sorts.” Markus said, one finger lazily tracing under Connor’s chin and down his throat, following the path of a vein under the skin. There was a pause, a heady stretch of silence as each considered their options. Then Markus spoke again, asking “Just how long do you intend to keep up this song and dance, Hunter?” Connor shifted slightly, wanting to be able to see his companion’s face when he replied, “As long as I can, my dear adversary.” Markus simply smiled, what little light there was catching on the dangerous line of his fangs.

“I could offer you an eternity to use as you wish - you only need to ask.”


	33. North/Connor Vegan Restaurant Owner

The electronic bell on the door buzzed, alerting North to the new patron entering her restaurant. The usual bland annoyance she felt at the prospect of a new customer coming in to complain or ask inane questions about vegan food was immediately transformed into curiosity with a touch of excitement as she saw it was quinoa guy. Okay, maybe being annoyed at potential customers wasn’t the best way to run a business, but she had managed fine so far. She liked to think her ‘take no shit’ attitude was part of the charm of her tiny little shop. But quinoa guy…he had really piqued her interest. 

He had been coming in to eat lunch for the past several weeks, and he always ordered the exact same thing: a quinoa buddha bowl with standard vegetables and sauce. He never made any changes to his order, never subbed in any extra protein or additional vegetables, never even seemed to consider the possibility of getting a different sauce. North had a lot of faith in the quality of her cooking, but even she didn’t think that eating the same things for three weeks in a row was appealing. She had been puzzling over what could possibly be causing him to do this for the last week at least, but had never worked up the energy or the courage to actually ask.

Maybe it was because he was kind of cute, in a soft way - always wearing a suit coat and always with that one stray curl hanging onto his forehead. Maybe it was because he was terribly polite about his order and giving her exact change. Or maybe it was the little dimples North had caught a glimpse of that one time he had smiled while he was sitting down to eat. She really didn’t want to like…scare him off or anything. She was lost enough in her own head that she didn’t even notice the fact that said customer was standing at the counter trying to get her attention by clearing his throat quietly. Fuck, he was cute.

Snapping out of it, North managed to muster up a smile and take the guy’s order for, surprise surprise, a quinoa bowl. He paid with exact change and, unless she was going incredibly delusional, flushed slightly when their fingers brushed as he handed over the bills. That was the last straw, she just had to ask. By the time she had finished preparing his food and was ready to carry it over to the table, North had finally worked up the nerve to do it. Setting the tray down, she blurted out “Why do you always order the same thing every day?” 

To her infinite surprise, instead of getting annoyed, the poor guy turned an impressive shade of red. His freckles were in danger of being overwhelmed by the blush as he ducked his head down and mumbled “I, uh. I don’t really know much about vegan food, and I didn’t want to embarrass myself, so…” North took a few moments to process this before she let out a relieved chuckle. “Oh my god, I’m sorry, that’s totally not what I expected!” She admitted, “You know it’s okay to ask questions, right? I opened this restaurant because I wanted to get more people interested in vegan cooking.” The guy looked up with a relieved smile on his face that was way too cute, honestly.

“Really? Thank you so much, cause I’m really starting to get tired of the same thing for lunch every day.” He admitted, still a little sheepish. North didn’t want to question why he had kept coming even if he was getting tired of the food. But she did stick out her hand with a grin, saying “Why don’t you come in tomorrow then, and I’ll show you what else tastes good on the menu? I’m North, by the way.” The hand that took hers in return was soft and gentle, and he gave it a little squeeze as he replied, “I’m Connor. It’s a date.” The cheeky little wink was enough to have North reeling pleasantly, and wondering just what she was getting into here.


	34. Gavin/Tina Time Travel AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> cw for some despair/depression references near the end, although I tried to end it on a hopeful note!
> 
> Note: Heavily based off the film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time

The first time Tina saw him, she thought he was just another ill-behaved local. She was passing through this time to see how much the city had changed since before her mother’s time, so it wasn’t like this was a particularly attractive location for jumpers. The guy had caught her eye simply because he was so outspoken in his annoying behavior. Always complaining, always picking fights with other people who tried to approach him. She thought to herself that he must just have a rough life and be taking it out on the people around him. Not exactly a good way to live, but, then again, not her problem.

The next time Tina spotted the guy, they were both further back in time. She hadn’t expected to see him again, so hearing that gruff voice startled her out of the book she was paging through. She had come to see this famous library before it burned down, so it wasn’t totally unusual for her to spot a fellow jumper. She just hadn’t expected someone like him to be interested in books. He certainly didn’t look the part - rumpled hoodie and dark circles under his eyes. He had a strange scar across his nose that Tina hadn’t noticed until just then - tearing her gaze away before he could catch her staring.

It was strange, how often their paths seemed to collide after that. Tina couldn’t shake the feeling that they were somehow meant to bump into each other…either that or he was following her. Which seemed unlikely, given how strongly he seemed to detest other human contact. And yet… She couldn’t bring herself to just ignore him. She was wandering a museum, taking in the art created by long gone artists, when she spotted him standing there, deep in thought. Stepping up to stand side-by-side with him, Tina took in the art for a moment before speaking up.

“Seeing it in person beats the pictures by a mile, doesn’t it?” She said, watching him out of the corner of her eye. He didn’t seem surprised by her presence, so maybe he had spotted her just as many times before. He was silent for a while before finally answering “If it didn’t, neither of us would be here.” Tina couldn’t do much but shrug in silent agreement with that sentiment. She would have thought he was annoyed with her presence but for the lack of angry bluster she had seen him display time and time again with everyone else he came across. They stood together and felt the seconds tick by together, knowing that despite everything, this moment was still fleeting.

After that, Tina saw him more often on purpose. Whenever their paths crossed, one or the other would make an effort to at least make a passing greeting. She even learned his name, Gavin, but not much else. Not when he was originally from, or why he was jumping. Not that many people were willing to share that sort of information, given how personal it could be. Tina, well, she jumped because she didn’t have anything else to do. It wasn’t like there was a particularly appealing life waiting for her in the future. She had a feeling he felt the same, but she also knew neither of them could escape forever. The number on her wrist was enough of a reminder of that.

Maybe it was the slow process of getting to know Gavin that threw Tina off guard. Maybe she fell too in love with the way he would smile when he thought no one was looking, or the relaxed line of his spine as he leaned out over a balcony to watch the sunrise. Whatever it was, she found herself unexpectedly staring down at her wrist in horror - the red 00 blinking back at her like a death sentence. With no jumps left, she was stranded here, surrounded by a life that was not hers to live. Her feet carried her numbly through the city, until she was standing on the bridge overlooking the river. She kept coming back here, no matter where she jumped to, and she had never realized why before. Throughout all of this time, the river still ran, and it would continue to run long after she was gone. 

The tears started, and Tina was suddenly on her knees, sobs shaking her body. None of it mattered, did it? She would still be the same person no matter how far in time she ran, still unwanted and still without a purpose. What was the point of it all, if there was no place for her in all the expanse of eternity? A warm hand settling on her shoulder broke her out of the spiral in her mind, looking up with teary eyes to find Gavin crouching down next to her. She didn’t think she could bear to see him pity her, but his face was filled with understanding and nothing more. 

“I’ll take you wherever you need to go.” He said softly, rolling up his own sleeve to reveal the 01 blinking on his skin. Tina could only shake her head, blurting out “What’s the point? Nothing ever really changes!” Gavin’s response was to shrug, the same way she had all those jumps ago in the museum. “This wold’s a bitch wherever you go, you’re right.” He admitted, and she felt the cold grip of despair tighten its grip on her chest. She wanted to scream and yell and tell him to just leave without her then. If nothing ever changed, she might as well stay here and rot.

“But I think…if we go together, we can make a place just for the two of us.” Came the quiet addendum. Gavin’s eyes never left hers, and Tina felt the pressure ease just enough so that she could breathe again. Without knowing what to say, she reached up one shaking hand and intertwined it with his, giving it a short squeeze. Together….She could do that. At least she could try.

**Author's Note:**

> One day the universe will allow me to visit my wrath upon the Cabbage man and ya'll know I'll be ready when it happens!
> 
> I’m available on [tumblr](https://ohnomybreadsticks.tumblr.com/) if you ever feel like chatting or reading any of my other little drabbles C:


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